UC-NRI 


LIBRARY 

OF   THK 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


GIFT  OK 


Accession 


'lass 


Ube  IReformer 
of  <5ene\?a « 

Hn  Ibietorical  Drama 


Cbarlea  Woofcruff 

prcfcesor  in  Princeton  "University 


G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS 

NEW  YORK  &  LONDON 
fcntcfcerbocfcer  press 
1898 


COPYRIGHT,  1897 

BY 
CHARLES  WOODRUFF  SHIELDS 

All  rights  reserved 
Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall,  London 


Ube  fmfcfterbocfcer  prea0,  Hew  ffiort 


tit. 


"Post  Tenebras  Lux." 

Motto  of  Geneva. 


86271 


Gbe  IReformer  of  (Senetm 


DRAMATIS   PERSONS. 


AMIED  PERRIN.     The  Captain-General. 

PHILIBERT  BERTHELIER.     A  Libertine  Courtier. 

CLAUDE  RIGOT.     The  Attorney-General. 

PIERRE  TISSOT.     The  Lord  Lieutenant. 

VANDEL.     A  Senator  favoring  Perrin. 

Du  PAN.     A  Senator  favoring  Calvin. 

D'ARLOD.     Lord  Syndic  and  leader  of  the  Majority. 

JOHN  CALVIN.     The  Reformer. 

NICOLAS  DE  LA  FONTAINE.     Secretary  to  Calvin,  and 

lover  of  Idelette. 

GERMAIN  COLLADON.     A  French  Refugee  and  Lawyer. 
FAREL       J 
POUPIN      >•  Pastors. 
BERNARD  ) 

MICHAEL  SERVETUS.     The  Heretic. 
WILLIAM  GUEROULT.     Printer  to  Servetus. 
CLAUDE  DE  GENEVE.     Jailer  and  instrument  of  Perrin. 
FRANCESCA.     Wife  of  the  Captain-General. 
IDELETTE.     Their  daughter. 

The  City  Herald,  the  State  Secretary,  State  Messen 
ger,  French  Papal  Envoy,  Jailers,  Archers,  Senators, 
Citizens,  Burghers,  Peasants,  Artisans,  Attendants. 

Scene  in  Geneva.      Time,  1553. 


ACT  I. 

THE  PLOT  OF  THE  LIBERTINES. 

SCENE      I. — THE  CAPTAIN-GENERAL'S  PALACE. 
SCENE    II. — THE  DOOR  OF  THE  CATHEDRAL. 
SCENE  III. — THE  SAME  AT  CURFEW. 
SCENE  IV.— INTERIOR  OF  THE  CONSISTORY. 


ACT  I. 

SCENE  I. 

A  Room  in  the  Palace  of  the  CAPTAIN-GENERAL.     FRAN- 

CESCA  and  IDELETTE  are  embroidering.      The 

Cathedral  bell  rings. 

Francesca.     Come  !    there    's    the   bell   for   vespers, 
Idelette. 

Idelette.     No,  mother;  't  is  the  evening  sermon  now. 

Francesca.     Ah !  I  forget — No  matins  and  no  vespers — 
Nothing  but  sermons,  doctrines,  all  day  long. 
The  very  peasants  have  befogg'd  their  brains 
With  wordy  talk  about  the  Trinity, 
Free-will,  Election,  what-not — why  not  leave 
Such  things  to  priests  ? 

Idelette.  Why  not,  indeed  ?     And  yet 

I  never  liked  the  filthy  priests,  nor  would 
Confess  to  them. 

Francesca.  To  whom,  then,  will  you  go  ? 

Idelette.     Alas !  to  Master  Calvin,  for  some  counsel. 

Francesca.     And  little  would  you  get: — a  catechism 
On  the  fine  points  of  his  divinity; 
Some  goodish  talk  about  old  Jewish  saints; 
And  preachments  'gainst  the  wickedness  of  plays, 
Cards,  dances,  and  the  dire  enormity 
Of  frills  and  flounces.     Child,  is  thy  new  gown 

5 


"Reformer 


Made  ready  for  the  fete  to-night  ? 

Idelette.  It  seems 

I  dare  not  wear  it.     The  Consistory  * 
Has  pass'd  an  edict  — 

Francesca.  The  Consistory! 

Pray,  what  has  the  Consistory  to  do 
With  thy  toilette  ? 

Idelette.     (Handing  a  scroll?)     It  's  in  the  missive  left 
By  the  French  gentleman,  their  Secretary. 

Francesca.     What  !  that  young  Nicolas  de  la  Fontaine  ? 
How  dare  he  bring  to  us  their  pious  twaddle  ! 

Idelette.     (Aside,  kissing  a  letter  as  she  withdraws."] 
Ah  !  my  good  mother,  something  else  he  brought  ! 

[Exit  IDELETTE. 

[PERRIN  and  BERTHELIER  enter  apparently  conversing,  and 
approach  FRANCESCA  while  she  peruses  the  scroll. 

Francesca.     See  here,  most  gallant  Berthelier,  and  you 
That  are,  or  seem  the  Captain-General 
Of  this  proud  city  and  my  lord  and  master,  — 
What  petticoat  government  we  are  under! 

[Reads.]     "  It  is  decreed:  No  woman  in  what  rank 
Or  quality  soever  she  may  be 
Dareth  to  be  so  hardy  as  to  make, 
Or  cause  to  be  made  or  to  wear  two  flounces 
Or  more  than  two,  embroider'd,  fac'd  or  lin'd 
With  silk,  —  on  pain  to  forfeit  sixty  sous."  2 

Berthelier.     Ha!  ha!  our  Master  Calvin  even  sets 
The  fashions  for  us.     Here  are  other  edicts  : 

[Produces  a  paper  and  reads.] 
"  No  man  durst  wear  gay  hose  or  figur'd  doublet; 
Nor  dance  with  any  woman  at  a  fete  ; 
On  pain  of  bread  and  water  for  three  days." 

Francesca.     What  a  religion!     Lent  !  the  whole  year 
round. 

6 


of  Geneva. 

Berthelier.     (JReads.)     "  Let  there  be  no  more  games 

— no  more  stage-plays — 
No  holidays — sermons  on  three  work-days — 
All  citizens  to  be  at  home  for  prayers 
And  lights  put  out  at  half-past  nine  o'clock, 
What  time  the  curfew  of  St.  Peter  tolls." 

Perrin.     Great  Caesar!     Who  is  master  in  Geneva  ? 

Berthelier.     One  of  our  stately  dames  has  been  rebuk'd, 
Because  her  maid  had  dress' d  her  coiffure  too 
Coquettishly  for  the  Consistory. 

Francesco,.     Ha!     ha!     Most   reverend   court   of   co 
quetry! 

Berthelier.     And  a  pert,   laughing  damsel  has  been 

deem'd 
Not  good  enough  to  wear  a  bridal  wreath. 

Francesca.     "  Penthesilea!  Queen  of  Amazons, "  3 
Dares  he  call  me.     Oh!  would  I  were  a  man, 
Or  might  but  use  the  power  of  you  men, 
I  'd  make  this  wand' ring  preacher  stick  to  his  text 
And  leave  us  women  to  our  millinery. 

[Tears  the  paper  to  pieces] 
He  calls  you  "  Comic  Caesar."  8 

Perrin.  Comic  Caesar  ? 

By  Caesar!     He  shall  pay  dear  for  that  jest. 
I  yet  will  play  me  such  a  comedy 
As  he  may  find  a  rueful  tragedy. 
Our  friend  the  noble  Berthelier  is  here 
To  lay  the  plot.     He  comes  to  talk  state  matters 
With  me  alone. 

Francesca.     (Withdrawing.)     Choose  well  your  parts, 
my  Lords. 

[Exit  FRANCESCA. 

Perrin.     Have  we  cast  off  the  yoke  of  dukes   and 
bishops 


IReformer 


But  to  be  rul'd  by  this  evangelist! 

Berthelier.     The  dukes,  my  lord,  have  had  their  day, 

because 

They  colleagued  with  the  bishops:  so  they  fell 
Together.     Now  the  burghers  lose  the  game 
By  calling  back  this  subtle  divine  from  Strasburg 
To  play  the  pope  among  us. 

Perrin.     Not  yet:  not  yet:  the  noblesse  of  Geneva 
Have  not  all  bowed  to  the  adventurer 
From  Picardy.     'T  is  true,  we  take  his  creed;  — 
It  's  neither  French  nor  Genevese,  and  suits 
The  rabble,  —  But  his  rule  in  civic  rights 
We  take  not,  and  will  crush  his  rule  in  manners.4 

Berthelier.     That  's  easy  said.     The  banish  'd  cleric 

comes 
With  popular  gales  to  waft  him  back  to  power. 

Perrin.     But  not  to  grasp  quite  all  the  reins  of  power! 
We  hold  the  ancient  rights  episcopal, 
Descended  with  the  ducal  to  our  hands. 

Berthelier.     Perhaps  he  means  to  yield  the  sword  of 

State 

But  keep  himself  the  keys  o'  the  Church  :  6  —  a  game 
That  he  plays  well. 

Perrin.  No  doubt.     But  still 

We  have  our  curb:  —  the  edict  lately  pass'd: 
No  clergy  henceforth  in  the  Senate,  there 
To  thwart  our  counsels  and  to  kill  our  votes. 

Berthelier.     How  stand  the  new  elected  senators  ? 

Perrin.     Most  favorably:  Vandel,  Sept,  Defosses, 
Des  Arts  and  Favre,  men  whom  we  can  trust, 
Kinsmen  or  friends  of  mine,  good  livers  all 
And  haters  of  the  new  ascetic  rule. 
Our  Vandel  leads  them  with  his  haughty  tongue. 

Berthelier.     And  how  do  stand  the  other  senators  ? 
8 


of  6enev>a. 

Perrin.     Well, — not  so  well.     Du  Pan  leads  Botellier, 
Aubert,  Corne",  and  Lambert;  these  we  know 
To  be  austere  and  wily  puritans. 
Fifteen  remain  to  lean  to  either  side. 

JBerthelier.     Ay,  there  remain  the  dangers  to  the  cause. 
Our  power  is  based  upon  the  populace, 
In  both  the  civic  Councils,  Great  and  Small; 
And  as  the  city  fills  with  Calvinists, 
Exiled  from  all  the  provinces  of  France, 
Some  day  the  alien  creed  may  undermine 
The  whole  republic. 

Perrin.  Ah,  but  you  forget, 

The  Senate  has  decreed,  within  the  walls, 
These  dogs  of  Frenchmen  shall  not  carry  arms." 
So  have  we  plucked  away  the  serpent  fangs 
Nurs'd  in  the  gen'rous  bosom  of  the  state. 

Berthelier.     Most  noble  lord  and  Captain-General, 
You  quite  mistake  me.     These  our  enemies 
Fight  not  with  carnal  weapons,  as  they  like 
To  say, — though  well  enough  they  fight  with  fagots 
Among  themselves, — their  power  is  in  the  realm 
Of  thought  and  spirit,  where  no  state-craft  comes. 
Some  different  doctrine  must  be  sown  broadcast. 

Perrin.     What !  would  my  lord  turn  preacher  then  ? 
You  speak  a  riddle. 

Berthelier.  No: — a  simple  secret ; 

And  a  state-secret,  if  you  keep  it  well. 
Know  you,  there  is  a  preacher  come  to  town, 
Not  reverend  in  title,  but  disguised, 
A  gallant  like  ourselves  and  hidden  safe 
At  the  Inn-of-the-Rose,  across  the  Lake, — 
One  Michael  Servetus,  the  physician, 
Known  as  a  sower  of  great  heresies 
Through  Christendom.7 

9 


vibe  IReformer 

Perrin.  Well  ?  more  of  this  state-secret. 

Berthelier.     He  much   hath   writ   against  our  famed 

divine, 

The  printer  of  his  book,  William  Gueroult, 
A  sometime  banished  Libertine,  but  now 
In  sheep's  clothing,  near  the  sacred  pale, 
Under  the  very  noses  of  the  pastors  spreads 
The  heresy  like  murrain  through  their  flocks. 

Perrin,     But  when  the  shepherds  scent  the  murrain 

there, 
What  then  ? 

Berthelier.         Why,  better,  then,  for  us ;  and  worse 
For  them — Dissensions  in  the  folds  themselves 
By  two  reformers — Power  in  our  hands 
To  drive  one  at  the  other  or  send  both 
Of  them  where  they  can  never  plague  us  more. 

Perrin.     Bravo !  bravo !     Not  that  I  care  a  sou 
For  either  doctrine.     Anything  to  put 
This  upstart  alien  down  and  keep  intact 
Our  civic  rights  and  ancient  liberties. 

Berthelier.     If  one  must  choose,  I  'd  choose  the  newer 

doctrine. 

Our  sham  Reformer  only  half  reforms. 
His  discipline  destroys  indulgences, 
But  keeps  the  old-time  penances,  and  kills 
The  joy  and  charm  of  life  while  in  the  bud. 
The  later  gospel  of  true  liberty 
Frees  both  the  spirit  and  the  flesh,  with  all 
Their  natural  and  innocent  desires; 
And  so  makes  full  communion  of  saints 
In  bodies  and  in  goods  as  well  as  souls — 
A  holy  wedlock  with  a  holy  kiss.8 

Perrin.     Aha!  I  see  you  have  the  greater  stake. 
It  is  a  bargain.     Philibert  Berthelier, 

10 


of  Geneva* 

Son  of  that  sire  who  freed  us  from  the  yoke 
Of  Savoy,  give  to  me  thy  hand. 
[They  clasp  hands.}  And  so 

We  have  the  prologue  of  our  "  Comic  Caesar." 
The  play  is  on.     Come,  drink  success  to  it. 
Long  live  Geneva! 

Berthelier.  Long  live  the  Libertines! 


SCENE  II. 

Before  the  ancient  Gothic 9  Doorway  of  the  Cathedral  of 
St.  Peter.     A  Psalm  concluding  within.      Worship 
pers  dispersing.      Tivo  Burghers  tarry. 

First  Burgher.    Well,  brother,  think  you  the  discourse 

was  sound  ? 
Second  Burgher.     'T  was  meat  for  men,  not  milk  for 

babes. 

First  Burgher.  Too  tough 

For  my  digestion,  some  of  it. 

Second  Burgher.  By  prayer 

And  meditation  only  we  digest 
Sound  doctrine. 

First  Burgher.       Truly :  yet  we  cannot  pray 
Against  Eternal  Will ;  nor  meditate 
How  Three  are  One  and  still  One  must  be  Three. 
Second  Burgher.     And  therefore  am  I  for  a  Trinity. 
First  Burgher.     And  therefore  am  I  for  a  Unity. 
Second  Burgher.    Your  Unity  would  be  you  know  not 

what. 

First  Burgher.     Your  Trinity  would  be  a  Cerberus.19 
Second  Burgher.     What  's  that  ? 
ii 


TTbe  Reformer 

First  Burgher .  The  fabled  hell-hound  with  three  heads. 

Second  Burgher.     Flat  blasphemy !    You  ne'  er  learned 

aught  like  that 
From  Master  Calvin's  sermons  or  his  books. 

First  Burgher.  Oh,  there  's  another  doctor  now  abroad, 
Another  book  beside  the  Institutes. 

Second  Burgher.     What  doctor,  and  what  book  ? 

First  Burgher.  A  doctor  learn 'd 

In  new  divinity,  a  second  Luther, 
Reformer  of  reformers;  and  his  book, 
Sometime  to  be  discreetly  shown  to  you, 
Is  the  quintescence  of  the  faith,  distilled 
Into  a  pure  "  Restored  Christianity." 

Second  Burgher.    'T  is  heresy!  vile  heresy!  both  book 
And  heretic  fit  to  be  burn'd.     Look  you  ! 
[SERVETUS,  disguised  as  a  Libertine,  passes  with  a  gallant 

air^\ 
Yon  flaunting  Libertine! 

First  Burgher.  A  citizen 

He  seems  of  gallant  mien. 

Second  Burgher.  Last  Sabbath  morn, 

As  Satan  came  among  the  sons  of  God, 
Came  he  into  the  assembly  of  the  saints, 
Affronting  them  with  jewels,  gay  attire, 
And  silly  foppish  airs.     Came  he  to  pray, 
He  must  be  warned  to  wear  the  sober  garb 
Ordained  by  the  Consistory.     Came  he 
To  spy  our  Canaan  out,  then  as  a  spy 
Shall  he  be  treated.     I  must  hence  away 
To  put  the  brethren  on  their  guard.11  {Exit. 

First  Burgher.  Good  soul ! 

He  little  deems  that  flaunting  Libertine 
The  heretic  himself,  Michael  Servetus, 
Reformer  of  this  now  deform 'd  Geneva.  \Exit. 

12 


of  (Benevm. 

SCENE  III. 

The  same  transformed  by  Nightfall.     The  Curfew  tolling. 

The  NIGHT  WATCHMAN,  with  flambeau, 

going  and  returning. 

Night  V/atch.     Past  nine  o'clock!     To  prayers!     Hie 

home  to  prayers ! 
[Enter  SERVETUS  and  GUEROULT,  meeting  as  the  Night 

Watch  passes. 
Servetus.    (To  GUEROULT).     Off,  caitiff,  with  thy  cap, 

before  thy  masters. 

Gueroult.     Our  masters  force  us  to  be  meek  and  lowly. 
Night  Watch.     The    curfew    bids    you    home,    good 

citizens. 

Servetus.     What  if  we  tarry  here  ? 
Night  Watch.  To  prison  till 

To-morrow  morn,  and  then  a  reprimand 
From  the  most  reverend  Consistory. 

Gueroult.     'T  is  better  to  obey  the  powers  that  be. 
Night  Watch.     Past  nine  o'clock!     To  prayers!     Hie 
home  to  prayers  !  [Exit. 

Servetus.     Is  that  old  prowler  out  of  ear-shot  yet  ? 
I  sometimes  fancy  we  are  dogg'd  and  watch 'd. 
Gueroult.     He  'd  never  take  you  for  a  heretic. 
Servetus.     He  'd  never  take  you  for  a  Libertine. 
Gueroult.     Now  we  are  safe,  unless  church  walls  have 

ears. 

Servetus.     How  goes  the  good  work  on  ? 
Gueroult.  Bravely;  the  book 

Is  read  upon  the  sly  and  handed  about 
And  tasted  like  some  titbit. 

Servetus.  Do  the  parsons 

Suspect  it  ? 

Gueroult.         Bless  you!  Pastor  Poupin  has 
13 


ilbe  "[Reformer 

A  nose  for  heresy  that  scented  it 

As  far  off  as  Vienne  in  Dauphiny, 

But  does  not  smell  it  now  under  his  pulpit. 

Servetus.     And  Pastor  Bernard  ? 

Gueroult.  Oh,  the  more  he  rails 

Against  Servetus  all  the  more  they  read 
Servetus. 

Servetus.       And  that  lying  old  impostor, 
Who  answers  not  my  letters  ? 

Gueroult.  Master  Calvin! 

Oh,  he  but  writes  to  princes  and  grand  ladies, 
That  like  to  have  him  for  a  conscience-keeper. 
Why  think  you  we  are  watch' d  ? 

Servetus.  The  other  day 

I  stroll'd  to  church — 

Gueroult.  Rash,  very  rash. 

Servetus.     To  hear  once  more  an  orthodox  discourse. 
Methought  the  brethren  look'd  askance  and  eyed 
Inquiringly  my  figured  hose  and  doublet. 

Gueroult.     Did  any  of  them  follow  you  ? 

Servetus.  Since  then 

The  landlord  of  the  Inn  is  very  curious. 

Gueroult.     To  know  you  better  as  a  paying  guest  ? 

Servetus.     Oh,  no !     He  slyly  asked  about  my  wife. 

Gueroult.     Ha!  ha!     Your  answer  ? 

Servetus.  That  a  Libertine 

Could  take  his  pleasures  as  he  chose 
Without  the  yoke  of  marriage. 

Gueroult.  Shrewdly  said. 

Servetus.     He  also  queried  of  my  coming  and  going. 

Gueroult.     That  may  have  been  but  mere  civility. 

Servetus.     From  Spain,  I  said,  to  Naples — there  to  ply 
My  healing  art  among  the  Spanish  exiles. 

Gueroult.     Well,  that  was  true  enough. 
14 


ot  Geneva. 

Servetus.  To-morrow  I 

Shall  air  my  promise,  and  sail  down  the  lake — ia 

Gueroult.     Returning  when  the  business  is  more  ripe. 
Servetus.     Come,  come ;  the  moon  will  soon  be  up  and 

show 
Our  faces. 

Gueroult.     And  our  plans,  worse  than  our  faces. 

[Exeunt. 


SCENE  IV. 

The  Consistory  adjoining  the  Cathedral.      Tomes  upon  the 

shelves,  the  table,  and  floor.    A  suspended  lamp. 

CALVIN  is  dictating  to  LA  FONTAINE. 

Calvin.     How  many  letters  have  we,  Nicolas  ? 

La  Fontaine.     Too  many,  Sir,  to  be  despatched  to 
night.13 

Calvin.     We  take  the  urgent.     Name  them  one  by  one. 
[LA  FONTAINE  takes  up  each  letter  as  he  names  its  pur 
port. 

La  Fontaine.     ' '  The  Duchess  of  Ferrara,  Italy, ' ' 
Sends  greetings  to  her  well-remembered  friend, 
And  begs  his  good  advice. 

Calvin.  Ah!  brilliant  court 

Of  letters,  wit  and  piety !     Brief  dream 
Of  worldly  glory  not  to  be !     We  send 
An  answer  only  after  thought  and  prayer 
And  in  most  courteous  phrase,  as  shall  beseem 
This  gracious  lady.14     Pass  we  to  the  next. 

La  Fontaine.     "  Appeal  of  Persecuted  Protestants 
In  France."     By  secret  messenger. 

Calvin.  Most  urgent. 

15 


IReformer 


Our  brethren  faint  and  perish.     We  must  write 
Before  we  sleep. 

La  Fontaine.     "  His  Grace  of  Canterbury  "  bids  to 

Lambeth 

A  Council  of  Reformed  divines,  to  heal 
The  broken  unity  of  Christendom. 

Calvin.     Mark  that  '  '  Important,  not  Immediate.  '  ' 
A  noble  summons!    I  would  cross  ten  seas 
To  answer  it.     Mayhap,  I  be  not  stayed 
To  heal  some  deadly  breach  in  our  own  walls. 

La  Fontaine.     "  Queen  Margaret  of  Navarre  "  is  not 

well  pleas'  d 

To  hear  that  Monsieur  Calvin  writes  a  book 
Against  the  sect  of  Libertines,  of  whom 
She  reckons  some  amongst  her  chosen  friends.15 

Calvin.     Alas  !  Madam  !  though  loyal  to  thy  house, 
As  to  all  Christian  princes,  speak  I  must, 
Else  I  were  false  to  thine  own  Lord  and  mine, 
Betrayed  by  those  who  mask  their  fleshly  sin 
In  heavenly  grace  and  call  that  "  liberty  " 
Which  is  but  lust.     Even  a  dog  will  bark, 
Whose  master  is  assail'  d. 

La  Fontaine.  The  next  is  seal'd 

With  the  great  ancient  seal  of  the  Republic: 
'  '  The  noble  the  Lord  Syndics  of  Geneva 
Mandamus  to  the  Reverend  Presbytery  —  " 
That  certain  censur'd  Libertines  have  leave 
To  take  the  Holy  Supper. 

Calvin.  Put  that  aside  for  the  Consistory. 
So  falls  the  first  bolt  from  the  low'  ring  cloud 
That  gathers  over  this  unhappy  Church. 

La   Fontaine.      "  Philip  Melancthon,  to  his  Dearest 

Friend 
And  Brother  "  — 

16 


ot  (Benera. 

Calvin.         That  must  wait  some  tranquil  hour. 
O  Philip  Melancthon !  a  hundred  times 
Upon  this  bosom  hast  thou  laid  thy  head, 
And  pray'd  to  live  and  die  with  me.     Would  God 
That  thou  wert  near  me  at  this  hour!     Afar 
Thou  watchest  now  the  spiritual  combat, 
And  forward  lookest  to  the  Righteous  Judge, 
Who  holds  th'  unfading  wreath  for  which  we  strive.18 

La  Fontaine.     One  letter  more — a  servant  maid  that 

craves 
A  note  to  Pastor  Farel. 

Calvin.  Write  at  once: 

And  add  a  safe-conduct  to  Neufchatel. 

La  Fontaine.     Another!     An  old  worn  letter,  out  of 

date, 

Left  by  an  unknown  hand,  from  Michael 
Servetus,  in  Vienne,  Province  of  Lyons: — 
Too  insolent,  I  think,  for  you  to  read. 

Calvin.     Poor,  stiff-necked,  crazy  heretic! 
Throw  it  unread  into  the  escritoire 
With  thirty  others  like  it.     \_Loud  knocks  at  the  door.] 

See  who  comes. 
None  but  the  members  of  Consistory. 

[Enter  POUPIN  and  BERNARD,   ushered  by  LA   FON 
TAINE. 

La   Fontaine.      The   reverend    pastors    Poupin    and 
Bernard. 

Calvin.     Right  welcome,  brethren.    What  good  tidings 

do 
Ye  bring  ? 

Poupin.     Most  honored  master, — only  bad: 
A  wolf  is  in  the  fold. 

Bernard.  A  pack  of  wolves ! 

Calvin.     Ye  speak  in  proverbs,  darkly. 
17 


Reformer 


Poupin.  Plainly  then: 

That  compound  of  all  heresy,  the  Spaniard 
Michael  Servetus,  our  worst  enemy, 
Is  in  Geneva. 

Bernard.  And  the  Libertines 

Are  plotting  with  him  to  pull  down  our  Church. 

Calvin.     How  came  he  here  ? 

Poupin.  Nobody  knows.     Since  he 

Escap'd  the  papal  fagots  at  Vienne, 
He  has  been  wandering  in  Italy 
Or  France;  and  now,  with  that  outlaw'd  Gueroult, 
His  secret  printer,  he  has  turned  up  here, 
Inside  the  very  portals  of  the  church. 

Calvin.     What  fatal  madness! 

Poupin.  Madness  of  long  standing. 

Bernard.     The  moth  into  the  flame! 

Calvin.  Long  since  I  warn'd  him 

That  if  he  came  he  never  would  depart 
Alive.17     But  is  there  no  way  out  for  him  ? 

Poupin.     None:  he  leaves  none,  —  he  has  been  sowing 

tares 
Among  our  wheat  for  several  weeks. 

Bernard.     Is  such  a  murderer  of  souls  to  be 
Let  loose  in  Christendom  ? 

Calvin.  Right  or  wrong, 

He  must  at  least  be  tried.     So  may  we  hope 
To  save  him  from  himself  and  save  the  Church. 
If  he  recants,  and  God  shall  change  his  heart, 
We  cannot  but  rejoice.     If  he  is  punished, 
The  churches  will  have  rest.     If  he  escapes  — 

Bernard.     Can  there  be  any  ifs  ? 

Calvin.  The  risks  are  great:  — 

This  Senate  lately  pack'd  with  Libertines  — 
This  fickle  Council  of  Two  Hundred  led 

18 


of  (Beneva, 

By  crafty  Berthelier — this  young  noblesse 
Chafed  by  our  discipline — this  furious  queen 
Penthesilea,  with  her  bacchanals — 
This  play-house  Caesar,  playing  government — 
And  now  this  crazy  heretic  come  to  be 
Their  tool  and  leader, — we  must  look  to  God, 
And  set  our  faces  as  a  flint.     Go  now; 
Keep  watch  and  bring  me  word  of  the  arrest. 

\_Exeunt  the  Pastors.     Enter  COLLADON  ushered  by  LA 
FONTAINE. 

La  Fontaine.     Here  is  our  learned  Counselor  Colla- 
don. 

Calvin.     (Advancing.*}     A  timely  visit  in  a  time  of 

need. 
We  want  the  lawyer  more  than  the  divine. 

Colladon.     Some  whisper   of  this  business  brings  me 
here. 

Calvin.     The  case  is  serious,  with  but  one  recourse: — 
The  law  must  take  in  hand  the  heretic. 

Colladon.     You  being  judge  of  that — a  judgment  I 
Can  but  approve — command  me,  and  I  serve. 
The  edicts  of  the  Swiss  here  govern  us; 
They  have  the  Lex  talionis. 

Calvin.  Pray  explain. 

Colladon.     'T  is  written  in  the  Book  of  Exodus  18: — 

"  Thou  shalt  give  eye  for  eye,  and  tooth  for  tooth." 
As  heresy  is  spiritual  murder,  made 
In  law  the  highest  capital  offence, 
Th'  accuser  goes  to  prison  with  th'  accused, 
And  puts  his  life  in  forfeit,  under  pain 
Of  strict  retaliation,  should  he  fail 
To  prove  his  charge.18 

Calvin.  I  knew  as  much.     Meanwhile 

This  pressing  work  of  mine  ? 

19 


tReformer 


Colladon.  As  I  have  said, 

The  accuser  must  become  a  prisoner. 

La  Fontaine.     {Starting  up.)     Let  me  be  th'  accuser 

then.     To  save 

The  leader  of  our  Christendom,  I  go 
To  prison  and  to  death. 

Calvin.  Brave  words,  my  son. 

I  knew  thee  ever  quick  to  sacrifice 
Thyself  upon  the  altar  of  the  faith. 

Colladon.     The  law  could  not  forbid  such  sacrifice, 
Though  youth  and  mercy  well  might  plead  against  it. 

Calvin.  {Aside  to  COLLADON.) 
Whoever  suffers,  he  is  to  be  safe. 
I  see  to  that. 

Colladon.  Well  then;  that  risk  assumed, 

Write  out  the  bill  of  charges  in  detail 
To-night.     Inside  of  four  and  twenty  hours 
They  must  be  brought  unto  the  lord  lieutenant. 
I  go  at  once  to  get  the  writ  of  arrest.  [Exit. 

Calvin.     Pray,   Nicolas,   bring  to  me  the  books  and 

papers 

In  evidence,  as  I  shall  name  them;  First, 
Those  ribald  letters  in  the  escritoire  ; 
Also,  that  copy  of  my  Institutes, 
Soiled  with  the  vomit  of  his  margin  notes  ; 
Also  the  writings  of  Melancthon,  Bucer, 
CEcolampadius,  Niger,  and  Capito; 
Also,  the  works  of  Justin,  of  Augustine, 
And  of  Tertullian.     That  is  all,  Good-night! 
Stay:  thou  hast  often  noticed  the  device 
Upon  my  seal.  "  —  A  heart  held  forth  as  in 
The  flame  of  sacrifice  :     Remember,  since 
My  first-born  went  to  God,  thou  art  my  son. 
I  pray  for  thee  to-night  even  in  my  dreams. 

20 


of  Geneva. 

[Exit  LA  FONTAINE 


[He  goes  to  the  table  and  writes .] 

"  These  are  the  accusations  to  be  brought 
Against  the  Spaniard,  Michael  Servetus, 
Guilty  of  heresy,  of  blasphemy, 
And  of  disturbing  Christendom." 

[After  a  pause.  ]  O  God ! 

What  tragedies  may  not  this  conflict  breed 
To  our  posterity  in  after-times!  20 


21 


ACT  II. 

THE  COUNTERPLOT  OF  THE  REFORMERS. 

SCENE      I. — THE  GARDEN  NEAR  THE  PALACE. 
SCENE    II. — THE  SAME  BY  MOONLIGHT. 
SCENE  III. — ANTEROOM  IN  THE  PALACE. 
SCENE  IV. — INTERIOR  OF  THE  CONSISTORY. 


ACT  II. 

SCENE  I. 

The    Garden   of  the   Palace.      Night.       Torch    bearers, 

Masquers,  with  PERRIN,  FRANCESCA,  BERTHELIER, 

VANDEL,  and  Revellers,  opening  the  Fete.1 

Francesca.     Ha!  ha!    no  woman   dares  to  wear  two 

flounces! 

Vandel.     Nor  any  man  gay  hose  or  figured  doublet ! 
Perrin.     {Mimicking  CALVIN.)  a     "Let  there  be  no 

more  plays." 

Francesca.  Except  the  play 

Of  Caesar  Comicus. 

Perrin.     {Mimicking  CALVIN.)       "  And  no  more 

dances." 

Francesca.     Except  the  dance  Penthesilea  leads 
Her  crew  of  bacchanals. 
Perrin.     {Mimicking  CALVIN.)       "  And  no  more 

games." 
Berthelier.     Except  the  game  which    Master   Calvin 

tries 

Betwixt  the  Huguenots  and  Libertines. 
No  dances,  games,  and  plays  ?     Aha!     We  shall  see. 
[Sings,  all  joining  in  the.  chorus^\ 

Life  is  but  a  Dance 

Through  the  whirling  hours 
25 


IReformer 


Ending  in  a  trance 
Of  its  jaded  powers. 
Trip  it  lightsomely, 
Hail!  true  Liberty. 

Life  is  but  a  Game, 

And  the  stake  is  high. 
'T  is  a  fickle  dame 
Holds  the  fateful  die. 
Toss  it  recklessly, 
Hail!  true  Liberty! 

Life  is  but  a  Play; 

Each  must  act  his  part: 
Sporting  life  away 
Is  its  highest  art. 
Play  it  merrily, 
Hail!  true  Liberty! 

Dances,  games  and  plays; 

Love  and  wine  and  song  — 
These  shall  fill  our  days, 
Thro'  our  whole  life  long. 
Bid  all  scruples  flee! 

Hail!  true  Liberty!  [Exeunt. 


SCENE  II. 

The  same.     Moonrise,  revealing  Lake  Leman  and  the  dis 
tant  Alps.     Muffled  music  of  the  fete  near  by.     LA 
FONTAINE  and  IDELETTE  meeting. 

La  Fontaine.     My  Idelette ! 

Idelette.  I  have  been  waiting  long. 

26 


of  Geneva. 

La  Fontaine.     Our  grave  Consistory  was  late  to-night. 

Idelette.     Not  later  than  these  wanton  revellers. 

La  Fontaine.     From  such  extremes  of  grave  and  gay 

we  come 

Into  this  heaven  of  love,  where  vows  are  chaste 
As  the  Alpine  moon  and  hearts  transparent 
As  this  dreaming  lake. 

Idelette.     (Brief  twilight.)     But  look!  there  is  a  cloud 
Upon  the  moon,  a  shadow  in  the  lake. 

La  Fontaine.     And  now   the   cloud  has  passed,    the 

shadow  gone. 
The  earth  and  sky  are  bright  again. 

Idelette.  Sometimes 

The  future  of  our  love,  so  pure  and  sweet, 
Seems  to  me  all  too  dreamy  for  this  world. 

La  Fontaine.     That  was  the  shadow  of  the  passing 

cloud. 

Still  let  us  keep  the  faith  of  happy  lovers, 
Until  we  come  into  the  light  again. 

Idelette.     I  dread  my  father's  frown,  my  mother's  rage. 
He  hates  the  Frenchman ;  she,  the  Huguenot. 
He  says  this  Calvin  is  the  French  Reynard, 
Who  came  to  steal  away  our  liberties, 
And  mimics  his  long  face  and  solemn  drawl 
Until  the  table  roars.2     She  calls  him  "  Cain  " 
For  Calvin ;  bids  street  urchins  set  their  curs 
Upon  him;  mingle  cat-cries  with  his  curfew, 
And  fire  off  blunderbusses  at  his  door. 
She  says  our  roist'ring,  pleasure-loving  Swiss 
Disturb  his  nerves  with  so  much  revelry. 
At  church  she  lolls  and  yawns  and  rolls  her  eyes. 
She  had  a  placard  fastened  to  his  pulpit 
In  sermon  time,  which  cost  a  gallant's  head.3 
To  hate  him  is  a  part  of  her  religion. 

27 


tReformer 


La  Fontaine.     And  what  is  thy  religion,  Idelette  ? 

Idelette.     Ah!     It  's  a  simple  thing  of  trust  and  hope. 
With  neither  priest  nor  preacher  moulding  it, 
I  could  not  choose  but  make  thee  my  confessor, 
And  take  my  sermons  only  from  thy  lips. 
Easy  it  was  to  share  thy  faith  and  love, 
And  sweet  it  is  to  mingle  prayers  and  vows. 

La  Fontaine.     Idelette,    I  must   tell   thee  something 

now, 

Thou  mayst  not  fully  understand  as  yet. 
We  soon  shall  go  into  the  passing  cloud 
And  seem  to  lose  each  other  for  a  while. 

Idelette.     What  !  wilt  thou  leave  Geneva  ? 

La  Fontaine.  No;  not  that. 

An  evil  man  with  evil  words  has  crept 
Among  the  brethren  ;  and  my  loving  master 
Has  work  for  me  to  do,  which  will  be  long, 
And  may  be  perilous. 

Idelette.  Oh!  I  like  not  much 

Your  Calvin,  with  his  harsh  and  bitter  tongue 
Against  the  heretics,  and  sermons  cold 
And  lofty  as  those  peaks  of  snow,  that  seem 
So  far  off  from  our  lowly  lives  ;  albeit 
Sometimes  a  sad,  sweet  smile  lights  up  his  face, 
As  if  caught  from  that  other  world  of  his, 
When  at  the  font  he  takes  the  little  children 
And  blesses  them. 

La  Fontaine.  At  such  times  have  you  seen 

What  is  but  seldom  shown,  his  inner  self, 
Masked  in  the  courtly  scholar  and  divine 
And  gentle  as  a  woman  or  a  child. 
As  most  men  see  him,  he  is  mailed  and  nerved 
To  fight  the  battles  of  the  Lord  in  times 
Of  evil  strife.     His  keen  retorts  are  like 

28 


of  (Beneva. 

A  fencer's  thrusts  at  error;  and  he  writes 
His  creed,  as  with  a  pen  of  flame,  upon 
The  hearts  of  princes.     Some  day  he  will  save 
Geneva;  and  Geneva  save  the  Church, 
Thence  to  give  truth  and  freedom  to  the  world. 

Idelette.     Well,  whoso  loves  Geneva,  him  I  '11  like. 

La  Fontaine.     And  I  will  love  Geneva's  fairest  flower, 
My  Alpine  rose!  my  own  sweet  Idelette! 

[Enter  PERRIN  and  BERTHELIER,  with  some  Revellers. 
IDELETTE  quickly  veils  herself. 

Perrin.     Ho !  ho !     What  lovemaking  have  we  here  ? 

Berthelier.     Aha!     'T  is  Nicolas  de  la  Fontaine! 
So  Master  Calvin  trains  his  saintly  pupils. 
What  pretty  jade  is  this?     [Tries  to  draw  her  veil.     LA 
FONTAINE    springs    toward    him   and  they  draw 
swords. 

Perrin.     Peace!    Stop  these  brawlers. 

\_They  are  separated^ 

Boy,  boy,  put  back  thy  sword,  or  give  it  me. 
Didst  thou  forget:  no  Frenchman  draws  his  sword 
Within  Geneva  save  to  perish  by  it  ? 

La  Fontaine.     I  do  remember,  and  to  thee  alone 
I  yield  it;  but  to  any  other,  never! 

[Turns  on  his  heel  and  goes. 

Berthelier.     As  hot  in  temper  as  in  love.     It  were 
A  pity  to  have  spilt  such  rash  young  blood. 

Perrin.     More  pity  it  's  in  such  a  race  and  creed. 
For  this  bold  trespass  the  philandering  saint, 
Like  any  common  sinner,  must  account. 

Berthelier.     There  is  some  mystery  here  to  be  unveiled. 

[Looking  touiard  IDELETTE. 

Perrin.     And  now,  my  pretty  one,  we  take  thee  back 
Into  the  dance,  near  to  thine  elders,  where 
Thou  shalt  be  safer  than  with  this  young  stranger. 

29 


Ube  Reformer 

[IDELETTE  unveils  to  her  father. 
Perrin.     My  daughter!     Idelette!     Idelette! 
[PERRIN  leads  her  away,  the  others  rushing  out  after  LA 

FONTAINE,  with  outcries  : 
Dog!     Frenchman!     Calvinist!     Kill  him! 


SCENE  III. 

Anteroom  in  the  Palace.     Morning.     Perrin  enters 
excitedly,  throwing  down  LA  FONTAINE'S  sword. 

Perrin.     ' '  The  Play-house  Caesar !  ' '     Ay,  a  farce  in 
deed; 

A  tragic  farce  and  comic  tragedy  ! 
\_Enter  two  of  the  Revellers.  ] 
What!     Did  ye  not  take  him  ? 
First  Rev.  He  was  too  fleet 

For  us. 

Second  Rev.     Cur  that  he  is,  he  slunk  away 
Into  the  darkness. 

First  Rev.  With  his  tail  between 

His  legs. 

Second  Rev.     Well,  we  did  not  see  his  legs. 
French  legs,  when  young,  are  swift  and  nimble. 

First  Rev.     And  Genevese  legs,  when  drunken,  are 

unsteady. 
Perrin.     Have  done  with  all  this  fooling.     Where  is 

he? 
Second  Rev.     That   is  a  secret  which  the   night  has 

hidden. 
Perrin.     Zounds !     How  ye  waste  the  time  with  words ! 

Go  straight 

Unto  the  lord  lieutenant;  bear  from  me 

30 


of  Geneva, 

As  the  chief  Syndic,  orders  to  search  out 

And  seize  one  Nicolas  de  la  Fontaine, 

Alive  or  dead ;  and  if  alive,  have  him 

Forthwith  confined  and  bound  on  mortal  charge, — 

An  alien  bearing  arms  within  the  city  walls ; 

And   keep   this   captur'd   sword   as  evidence   [handing 

him  the  sword]. 

We  soon  shall  see  if  there  is  power  enough 
In  our  high  office  to  bring  forth  this  stripling. 

{Enter  FRANCESCA.  {Exeunt  the  Revellers. 

Perrin.     Madame,  where  now  is  Idelette  ? 

Francesca.  Where  else 

But  in  her  chamber  could  she  be,  my  lord  ? 

Perrin.     Where  else  ?     Last  night  she  could  be  some 
where  else. 
To-day — the  devil  only  knows  where  else ! 

Francesca.     My   lord,    you    do  yourself    and  me  no 

honor 
By  such  sallies. 

Perrin.  No  honor  will  be  left 

To  us,  unless  we  part  these  puling  fools. 
I  little  dream' d  a  daughter  of  this  house 
Could  e'er  go  moonstruck  with  a  Frenchman. 

Francesca.     I  little  dreamed  a  daughter  of  this  house 
Could  e'er  go  moonstruck  with  a  Calvinist. 
She  gets  it  not  from  me;  nor  from  the  Favres, 
Who  hate  the  alien  creed  more  than  the  Perrins 
Can  hate  the  alien  race.     Hast  thou  forgot 
The  day  my  valiant  Sire  defied  the  rule 
Of  this  proud  preacher,  and  with  cries  of  "  Freedom!  " 
Was  borne  to  prison,  while  his  son-in-law, 
Clad  in  his  shirt,  with  candle  in  his  hand, 
Followed  the  meek-eyed  parsons  through  the  streets 4 — 
Fit  prelude  to  his  now  eloping  daughter  ? 

31 


Ube  IReformer 

Perrin.     Well,  well;   enough  of  this.     How  did  she 

take 
Your  chiding  ? 

Francesco,.         Like  a  Perrin,  for  a  while. 
Until  my  storm  of  words  was  spent,  she  wept 
And  sobbed;  then  wept  again;  and  then 
Grew  hard  and  silent  as  a  stone.     And  now, 
I  think,  her  pretty  demure  face  but  hides 
Some  flinty  purpose. 

Perrin.  Then  she  must  be  warned. 

Go  bring  her  hither  that  she  may  confront 
The  other  culprit.  {Exit  FRANCESCA. 

{Enter  BERTHELIER. 

Perrin.  The  ever  welcome  Berthelier! 

How  goes  our  little  play  ? 

Berthelier.  As  good  as  a  play, 

The  plot  thickens. 

Perrin.  Is  it  comic  or  tragic  ? 

Berthelier.      Neither  ;    yet   both.      As   you   foresaw, 

these  dogs 

Of  Frenchmen  have  smelt  out  the  heretic, 
And  in  full  cry  are  on  the  heresy  hunt. 

Perrin.     On  the  right  track  ? 

Berthelier.  They  have  their  game  in  bounds. 

Servetus,  by  some  freak  of  folly,  went 
To  church;  his  gay  disguise  but  marked  him  out; 
The  brethren  watch' d  and  track 'd  him  to  the  Inn, 
Where  he  was  straightway  seized  on  capital  charge 
Of  heresy. 

Perrin.     And  the  accuser  who  ? 

Berthelier.     In  fact,  our  Master  Calvin;  but  in  law, 
His  pupil,  De  la  Fontaine,  as  a  scape-goat 
Magnanimously  put  forth  in  his  stead, 
And  safely  jailed  on  forfeit  of  his  life. 

32 


of  6enev>a. 

Perrin.     Hero  of  last  night's  escapade  ? 

Berthelier.  The  same. 

Perrin.     Ha!     Now  we  have  both  of  them  where  we 

want  them. 

The  Spaniard  is  our  club  to  beat  the  Frenchman ; 
And  the  same  double  blow  which  frees  the  State 
Shall  free  my  house  from  intermeddlers — 
We  must  away  at  once  to  push  this  business. 

[Enter  FRANCESCA  with  IDELETTE.] 
Madame,  the  cause  of  your  coming  is  met 
By  our  going.     State-secrets  call  me  hence, 
The  which  disclos'd  shall  bring  to  a  safe  end 
This  trouble  of  our  house.     Enough  to  say, 
That  smart  young  Frenchman  is  in  prison  now 
On  forfeit  of  his  life. 

\_Exeunt  PERRIN  and  BERTHELIER. 

Francesca.  The  Blessed  Virgin 

Be  ever  praised !     And  all  the  saints,  that  pluck 
Us  from  the  gulf  which  yawned  to  swallow  up 
Our  honor.     Go,  false  daughter  of  Geneva! 
Weep,  if  thou  wilt,  thy  folly  and  its  fall: 
Thou  canst  not  weep  a  fallen,  ruin'd  house. 

[Exit  FRANCESCA. 

Idelette.     Now  have  we  gone  into  the  passing  cloud, 
And  lose  each  other  in  its  thickest  gloom. 
But  I  will  force  a  way  into  the  light. 
Somehow  my  Nicolas  shall  yet  be  free !  [Exit. 


SCENE  IV. 

The  Consistory.  Morning.  CALVIN  Studying. 

Calvin.     Ah!  brother  Farel!  all  goes  well,  I  trust, 
At  Neufchatel. 

33 


IReformer 


FareL  Ay,  well  enough.     What  news 

Here  in  Geneva  ? 

Calvin.  A  delicious  bit 

I  heard  last  night,  at  billiards  with  the  seigneurs. 
Our  Bonnivard  has  taken  his  fourth  wife. 
The  town  is  laughing  at  the  dear  old  priest. 
But  we  forgive  the  prisoner  of  Chillon  6 
As  many  wives  as  he  had  years  of  durance. 
Ha!  ha!  he  uses  his  full  liberty. 

Farel.     Why  not  ?     Old  men,  who  once  were  priests, 

have  earn'd 
Home  life  and  joy  as  part  of  our  Reform. 

Calvin.     Take  care,  good  brother,  our  Reform  end  not 
Too  often  in  these  marriage  comedies. 

Farel.    Some  other  news  more  serious  I  hear  — 
Our  enemy  Servetus  in  our  hands. 

Calvin.     Say,  rather,  in  the  hands  of  law  and  justice. 

Farel.     'T  is  a  most  admirable  Providence. 
Will  he  repent  ?  that  were  too  much  to  hope. 
Hostile  to  Christ  and  cruel  to  His  Church 
Will  be  the  judges,  if  they  stay  their  hands. 
Shall  petty  altar-thieves  be  put  to  death, 
And  murderers  that  kill  men's  souls  go  free  ? 

Calvin.     I  hope  the  sentence  may  be  capital  : 
Th'  atrocious  penalty  I  would  remit.8 

Farel.     What  !  treat  your  worst  enemy  as  your  friend  ? 

Calvin.     I  have  no  private  grudge  —  and  never  had  — 
Yet  shrink  not  from  the  Master's  public  call:  — 
That  call  which  brought  me  here,  as  by  a  hand 
Reach'  d  down  from  heaven,  with  your  prophetic  curse 
Upon  my  love  of  studious  repose:  — 
That  call  which  held  me  here  among  the  foes 
Of  virtue,  even  while  their  swords  were  flashing 
Around  our  pulpits,  till  a  hooting  mob 

34 


ot 


Escorted  us  beyond  the  city  gates:  — 

That  call  which  forced  me  back  from  happy  exile, 

From  learning,  friendship,  ease,  and  growing  fame, 

A  second  Jonah  to  this  Nineveh. 

Here  have  I  come  as  to  a  bleeding  cross; 

Here  have  I  offered  up  my  heart  to  God; 

Here  will  I  stay  and  face  a  hundred  deaths, 

Rather  than  yield  my  flock  to  ravening  wolves. 

Whate'er  befalls  this  troubler  of  our  peace, 

The  Church  at  any  hazard  must  be  saved. 

Farel.     But  not  by  weak  and  foolish  clemency. 
Look  at  that  insolent  heretic  Bolsec! 
Banished,  he  only  used  his  liberty 
To  spoil  the  Church  and  ruin  helpless  souls. 
How  often  have  I  said  no  death  would  be 
Too  frightful  for  me,  if  I  taught  false  doctrine. 
I  cannot  judge  Servetus  otherwise.  [Exit  FAREL. 

Calvin.     (Alone.)     Farel,  thou  judgest  with  impetuous 

mind, 

Which  later  thought  will  temper  to  more  kindness. 
God  knows  I  never  hated,  scarce  despised 
This  rash,  hot-headed  Spaniard,  who  so  long 
Hath  striven  to  mix  me  up  with  his  wild  dreams. 
Yet  were  I  made  of  iron  not  to  feel 
His  railings  at  all  saving  truth  and  grace, 
And  blind  with  folly  not  to  see  the  ruin 
He  would  pull  down  both  on  himself  and  us, 
With  myriads  of  other  helpless  souls. 
'T  is  Mercy's  self  that  cries  aloud  to  Justice, 
As  voic'd  by  prophet  and  evangelist, 
Against  a  foe  of  God  no  less  than  man. 
O  why  has  He  who  made  us  to  be  like 
Himself,  exacted  such  severity, 
But  that  His  glory  may  shine  forth  in  us, 

35 


TRetormer 


T*  eclipse  our  native  weakness  and  blot  out 
The  merely  human  from  our  memories  !  — 
Pride  —  Passion  —  Pity;  kneel  ye  all  to  Him, 
Sole  absolute  Right!  pure  Reason  Infinite! 
Eternal  Will!  that  rules  all  other  wills 
And  moulds  and  nerves  them  to  its  high  decrees.7 

[Returns  to  his  Studies  .] 
So  do  perplexities  thicken  with  our  cares. 
Books,  sermons,  lectures,  letters  all  confused. 
How  I  miss   Nicolas!  —  [A  knock  is  heard.  ~\     A  gentle 

knock 
As  if  it  were  some  gentle  visitor. 

[Goes  to  the  door  and  admits  IDELETTE.] 

Idelette.     Father,  I  only  come  as  to  the  priest. 

Calvin.     Daughter,  confess  to  God,  and  not  to  man. 
Freely  thou  hast  my  counsel  with  my  prayer. 

Idelette.     Such  help  I  crave  and  other  help  may  give 
To  thee,  and  to  this  young  French  gentleman  —  [hesitat 
ing 

Calvin.     Nicolas  de  la  Fontaine,  whom  I  call 
My  son  ? 

Idelette.     —  Pursued  by  revellers  last  night  — 

Calvin.     Pardon  ;  mayhap  thou  speakest  of  some  friend 
Not  known  to  me  ;  if  of  my  son,  he  now 
Is  safe  from  such  pursuers. 

Idelette.  Not  in  prison  ? 

Calvin.     In  prison  ;  but  by  his  own  act,  as  soon 
The  city  shall  be  told,  to  do  a  work 
Of  justice  for  the  Church,  most  generous, 
Not  perilous. 

Idelette.         They  said  his  life  was  forfeit  ! 

Calvin.     In  their  eyes  forfeit:  not  in  mine.     His  life 
Is  safe  as  thine,  and  safer  far  than  mine. 
Whoever  is  in  peril,  he  is  safe. 

36 


of  (Beneva, 

If  thou  dost  think  of  such  a  prisoner, 

Fear  not  for  him;  fear  only  for  the  Church, 

The  exiled  Church  that  he  and  I  would  save. 

Idelette.     Father,  I  am  a  daughter  of  Geneva: 
Henceforth  this  exiled  Church  shall  be  my  mother; 
Her  people  be  my  people;  and  her  God, 
My  God. 

Calvin.       Doubt  not,  my  daughter,  that  her  God 
Shall  bless  thee,  and  her  people  cherish  thee. 
Nor  fear  aught  strange  or  alien  in  her  welcome. 
Since  hapless  France  has  spurned  her  truest  sons 
And  left  them  only  citizens  of  Heaven, 
Geneva  is  the  city  of  my  heart, 
That  is  to  be  the  city  of  our  God 
And  capital  of  a  new  Christendom.8 

Idelette.     Somewhat  of  these  high  things  I  understand, 
And  more  may  learn  hereafter. 

Calvin.  Easily 

May  they  be  learn 'd  by  simple,  trusting  souls. 
God  hath  not  chosen  the  mighty  and  the  wise 
To  be  His  children,  but  the  childlike,  pure 
In  heart,  and  ever  open  to  His  truth. 
Of  such  is  heaven  itself;  and  their  good  angels 
Do  always  guide  them. — Go  not  out  that  door. 

\Opens  another  door  communicating  with  the  Cathedral^ 
Come  through  the  church;  and  when  thou  passest  where 
The  ancient  altar  stood,  kneel  there  and  pray 
For  thy  Geneva. 

Idelette.  And  for  the  exiled  Church ! 

[  Through  the  open  door,  she  is  seen  kneeling  in  the  distant 
window  light. 

Calvin.     A  daughter  of  Geneva!     Something  in 
Her  face  I  saw,  above  our  maidens, — yet 
Like  them.     And  does  she  know  my  Nicolas  ? 

37 


ACT  III. 

THE  TRIAL  OF  SERVETUS. 

SCENE    I. — A  DUNGEON  IN  THE  OLD  BISHOP'S  PALACE. 
SCENE  II.— A  HALL  OF  JUSTICE  IN  THE  SAME. 


ACT  III. 

SCENE  I. 

A  Dungeon  in  the  old  Bishop's  Palace.     A  window  with 

shelf  in  view.      Enter  the  Jailer,  CLAUDE  DE 

GENEVE,  with  SERVETUS. 

Claude.     Thou  lookest  the  most  gallant  prisoner 
That  ever  came  to  pine  within  these  walls. 

Servetus.     I  look  not   all  I  may  be.     \Handing  his 
sword. 

Claude.  Art  thou  not 

A  soldier  ? 

Servetus.  Keep  these  trinkets  and  this  gold 

Safely,  as  listed  by  your  lord  lieutenant: — 
One  hundred  crowns;  a  chain  worth  twenty  more; 
Six  jeweled  rings,  one  large  turquoise,  a  ruby, 
A  sapphire,  diamond,  emerald  of  Peru: — 
Beside  this  signet  ring  of  coraline.1 

Claude.     Ah!  thou  'rt  a  courtier  ? 

Servetus.  Only  a  physician, 

A  scholar,  and  somewhat  of  a  divine. 

Claude.     They  call'd  thee  "  heretic,"  "  blasphemer," 

"  dog-" 
Servetus.     I  '11  call  them  worse  names  when  we  fight 

with  words. 
Claude.     And  this  young  Frenchman  here  in  the  next 

cell 
Accuses  thee  ? 

41 


TReformer 


Servetus.  Not  he:  a  catspaw  he 

Of  that  old  lying  tyrant,  Master  Calvin. 

Claude.     Gramercy  !     how    these   brethren   love   one 
another! 

Servetus.     Pray,  leave  me.     I  would  be  alone. 

Claude.     {Bowing  low.)  I  have 

My  orders  from  the  Captain-General 
To  humor  thee  with  certain  privileges, 
That  may  befit  so  learn  'd  a  prisoner.         [Exit  CLAUDE. 

Servetus.     What  privileges  in  this  hateful  place  ? 
So  ends  my  vision  of  a  new  reform  ! 
Almost  within  my  reach  it  vanishes. 
An  outlaw  hunted  throughout  Christendom, 
Escaping  from  the  dungeon,  rack,  and  flame, 
Have  I  at  last  been  driven  like  a  rat 
Into  this  hole,  here  but  to  rot  and  die  ? 
May  God  confound  these  tyrants  of  the  Church!  a 

[Raps  are  heard  on  the  window  barsJ\ 
What  's  that  ?     Who  's  there  ? 

Gueroult.     {Appearing  at  the  window.}     Your  caitiff 
Libertine! 

Servetus.     Halloa!     William  Gueroult.     What  brings 
you  here  ? 

Gueroult.     The  grace  of  Madame  Perrin,  and  therewith 
Some  prison  fare,  —  [Hands  in  fruit  and  wine. 

Servetus.  For  which  I  thank  her  grace. 

Claude.     And  likewise  good  cheer  from  her  doughty 

lord, 

Our  trusty  Captain-General,  who  thinks 
A  Spaniel  good  enough  to  chase  away 
The  "  French  Reynard." 

Servetus.  What  if  Reynard  should  turn 

And  rend  the  Spaniel  ?     It  's  a  dang'rous  game. 

Gueroult.     Ay,  and  the  danger  thickens  with  the  plot. 
42 


of  (Geneva, 

Orders  have  come  to  have  the  men  enrolled 
In  fifties,  sworn  and  arm'd  with  hidden  daggers; 
Each  wearing  on  his  cuirass  a  white  cross,3 
To  be  the  sign  of  his  most  Christian  mission. 

Servetus.     What  mission  ?     When  ? 

Gueroult.  Perchance,  some  Sunday  morn, 

When  the  Great  Bell  from  out  St.  Peter's  tower 
With  solemn  peal  that  is  to  be  their  knell, 
Is  calling  forth  the  alien  hordes  to  church,  — 
Our  wolves,  disguised,  shall  enter  with  the  sheep. 
And  while  the  silly  flocks  are  in  the  heaven 
They  dream  of,  shall  their  dismal  psalms  be  turned 
To  shrieks,  and  everywhere  the  white  cross  gleam 
Above  their  puddled  blood, — old  men  and  youths 
And  babes  and  maidens,  the  whole  vermin  breed 
Must  be  stamped  out  and  utterly  extinct, 
Ere  this  infested  city  can  be  free.4 

Servetus.     The   end    seems   good  ;  the   means   more 
questionable. 

Gueroult.     Your  meek  divines  may  settle  that.     I  am 
A  printer,  not  a  theologian. 
But  yonder  comes  our  noble  Berthelier 
To  tell  you  more  of  this  inside.     Adieu; 
Until  we  meet  outside  with  freer  tongues. 

{Exit  GUEROULT. 

Servetus.     So  at  the  darkest  comes  a  gleam  of  dawn. 
Would  I  were  what  this  jailer  took  me  for, 
The  soldier  more  than  the  philosopher! 

{Re-enter  CLAUDE,  ushering  BERTHELIER. 

Claude.     My  orders  were  to  grant  some  privileges: — 
Here  is  a  most  distinguished  visitor.          {Exit  CLAUDE. 

Berthelier.    Well,  Doctor,  not  so  pleasant  as  the  Inn — 
But  martyrs  have  had  worse  accommodation, 

{looking  around r] 
43 


IReformer 


And  from  this  worse  we  may  proceed  to  better. 

Servetus.     But  why  this  worse  ?     Why  tear  me  from 

my  plans 
Ere  they  were  ripe  ? 

Berthelier.  Upon  that  text  I  come 

To  preach  to  you.     Take  wisely  the  wise  counsel 
Of  friends  in  power,  who  only  wish  you  well. 

Servetus.     I  can  but  be  their  willing  instrument. 

Berthelier.     This  portrait  first  behold,  as  in  a  glass:  — 
A  stranger  knowing  little  of  Geneva, 
A  scholar  knowing  less  of  men  than  books, 
And  a  reformer  with  more  zeal  than  knowledge, 
Such  as  this  stranger  and  this  scholar  lacks. 
Add  now  a  nature  quick,  impetuous,  proud; 
Chaf'd  by  a  long  defeat  and  desperate, 
Yet  simple  and  unguarded  as  a  dupe, 
And  with  one  domineering  aim  possessed 
As  with  a  devil;  —  there  you  have  the  portrait. 

Servetus.     It  's    somewhat    rudely    drawn,    but    like 

enough. 
Now  for  the  sermon. 

Berthelier.  'T  will  be  brief  and  plain. 

Patrons  you  have  among  the  senators, 
And  in  the  city  secret  followers. 
As  knowing  this,  be  cool  and  self-contained:  — 
The  storm  will  be  the  fiercer  when  it  bursts. 
The  judges  hear  you  have  been  turbulent:  — 
Hide  your  proud  aims  in  meek  simplicity. 
Deny  each  charge  presented  without  proof:  — 
Who  of  us  has  a  right  to  the  whole  truth  ! 
I  will  be  at  your  elbow,  as  a  friend, 
To  speak  for  you,  should  any  need  arise. 
Meanwhile,  the  hidden  leaven  of  your  book 
Is  working  with  a  yeast  of  revolution. 

44 


of  Geneva, 

The  Council  of  Two  Hundred  in  a  ferment 

Will  rally  at  my  call  with  our  brave  Captain, 

Around  the  martyr-hero  of  the  hour, 

And  in  the  whirlwind  of  o'erturned  affairs, 

Even  as  a  leaf  is  caught  up  in  the  storm, 

You  shall  be  carried  to  high  place  and  fame. 

As  soon  as  Gueroult  musters  forth  his  bands, 

Our  Claude  shall  bring  you  word  5 — And  so  farewell. 

{Exit  BERTHELIER. 
Servetus.     Good   counsel   which    I   take  in  my  own 

sense. 

These  noble  friends  have  aims;  and  I  have  aims; 
And  all  of  us  aim  at  one  common  foe, 
The  tyrant  ruler  of  both  Church  and  State. 
My  secret  prayers  and  lifelong  vows,  it  seems, 
Express  to  them  more  diabolic  zeal. 
Well,  there  are  devils  on  the  other  side; 
And  ev'n  as  Michael  fought  in  heaven,  will  I, 
A  Michael,  fight  this  dragon  in  the  Church.6 


SCENE  II. 

A  Hall  of  Justice  in  the  old  Bishop's  Palace.  Enter  the 
City  Herald,  the  Lord  Syndic  D'ARLOD,  Eight  SENA 
TORS  as  Assessory  Judges,  including  Du  PAN,  VAN- 
DEL,  BERTHELIER;  the  Attorney- General  RIGOT,  the 
Secretary  of  Justice.  All  taking  their  places  as  in  a 
Tribunal.  COLLADON  with  LA  FONTAINE  and  his 
Jailer  ;  and  TISSOT  in  waiting  with  SERVETUS  and 
his  Jailer  and  Guards, 

Herald.     The  High  Court  of  Geneva  sits  in  judgment. 
D'Arlod.     Call  the  accuser  and  the  prisoner. 
45 


ZTbe  IReformer 

Herald.     The  accuser,  Nicolas  de  la  Fontaine! 

Colladon.     (Coming  for  ward  with  LA  FONTAINE  and  his 

Jailer.} 
So  please  your  worships,  he  is  here  and  ready. 

Herald.     The  prisoner  accused,  Michael  Servetus! 

Berthelier.     The  Lord  Lieutenant  comes  with  him. 

D '  A rlod.  M ake  way ! 

Tissot.    (Entering  with  SERVETUS,  Jailer,  and  Guards. ) 
I  have  examined  well  this  prisoner, 
And  find  the  charges  due  in  law  and  fact. 

D' Arlod.     Then  we  will  hear  the  deed  of  accusation. 

The  Secretary.     (Reads.)     "  Here  in  your   presence, 

most  redoubtable  lords, 

"  Comes  Nicolas  de  la  Fontaine,  of  St.  Gervaix 
"  Au  Vixen,  France,  on  forfeit  of  his  life, 
"  To  be  accuser  of  this  prisoner, 
"  Michael  Servetus,  of  Arragon  in  Spain, 
"  For  deadly  heresies  which  he  hath  sown 
'  Through  Christendom  these  more  than  twenty  years, 
"  In  cruel  murder  of  unhappy  souls: — 
"  For  blasphemies  which  he  hath  writ  'gainst  God, 
"  More  horrible  than  any  crimes  'gainst  man; — 
' '  And  for  sedition  secretly  infused 
' '  Within  this  church  and  city  of  Geneva, 
' '  To  whelm  the  State  in  bloody  anarchy. 
"  And  if  these  charges  be  found  good  and  true, 
"  And  you  do  judge  the  said  Servetus  guilty: 
'  Then  the  accuser  humbly  prays  he  may 
"  Be  spared  all  further  injury  and  risk 
"  Of  life,  and  your  Attorney-General 
"  Take  up  the  'plaint  and  further  prosecute  it. 
"  Not  that  he  shuns  a  cause  all  Christians  should 
"  Maintain  ev'n  unto  death,  but  he  hath  learn'd 
"  Such  is  the  ancient  custom  of  your  city, 

46 


of  (Benevm, 

"  And  it  belongs  not  unto  him  to  take 
"  The  Office  and  the  duty  of  another."  T 

Colladon.      Here   are   the   Queries. 

[Hands  a  roll  to  TISSOT.] 

Let  him  not  mock  God 
And  your  Lordships  with  vague  and  false  replies. 

D' Arlod.     Servetus,  on  your  oath  to  God  and  man, 
True  answers  make  before  this  righteous  court. 
We  hear  you  have  been  turbulent.     You  come 
As  but  an  old  offender  heralded. 
Ill  rumor  should  be  killed  outright  with  truth, 
As  kings  kill  graceless  messengers  of  evil. 

Tissot.     (JReads.)     "  Some  years  ago  in  Germany  there 

was 
A  book  of  dreadful  blasphemies  condemn' d." 

Servetus.     'T  is  true  that  I  did  print  a  little  book, 
Not  blasphemous,  and  not  condemn'd  in  court. 

Colladon.     Only  because  't  was  never  brought  in  court. 

Du  Pan.     Say  you  the  book  contained  no  blasphemies  ? 

Servetus.     If  any  can  be  found,  I  will  correct  them. 

Tissot.     (Reads.)     "  Again  in  Strasburg  and  in  Italy 
There  was  another  execrable  book, 
Which  caused  no  end  of  trouble."  8 

Servetus.  I  did  print 

Another  little  book,  but  never  heard 
That  it  caused  trouble. 

Du  Pan.  But  why  another  ? 

The  Doctors  had  reproved  you  for  the  first, 
CEcolampadius,  Niger,  Bucer,  Capito  ? 

Servetus.     Most   noble   lord,    by  long   and  deep  re 
search 

Into  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  Church  Fathers 
I  gained  new  light,  not  to  be  hid,  we  're  told, 
Under  a  bushel:  and  I  meant  no  harm, 

47 


TTbe  IRetormer 

Nor  have  I  anywhere  been  turbulent. 

Du  Pan.     Oh,  you  knew  well  enough  all  Christendom 
Would  be  disturbed! 

Servetus.  With  but  a  few  divines 

In  Germany  I  have  discuss' d  these  matters: 
In  France,  for  years,  I  spoke  not  to  a  soul. 

Du  Pan.     Ah  !    there  you   hid   your  light  under  a 
bushel! 

Colladon.         You  see  with  what  repute  he  comes  to  us. 
But  there  are  other  charges  nearer  home. 

Tissot.     (Reads.}      "  Through   many   years    he    hath 

assail' d  the  Church 
And  Pastors  of  Geneva." 

Colladon.  Here  are  letters 

To  Pastor  Poupin  full  of  vile  abuse : 
He  says  our  Church  is  going  to  the  devil ! 

Servetus.     I  only  used  the  strong  polemic  terms 
Scholastic  doctors  use.     The  same  they  us'd 
Against  me,  both  in  Latin  and  in  French. 

Colladon.     Here  is  our  honour 'd  Calvin's  work,  be- 

smear'd 
With  notes  too  filthy  to  be  read  aloud. 

Servetus.     Your  Calvin  injur'd  me  in  printed  books. 
My  written  notes  but  show  where  he  has  err'd. 

Colladon.     Here  is  his  own  most  revolutionary  book, 
His  so-call'd  "  New  Restored  Christianity." 

Servetus.     'T  is  so  called,  not  because  there  were  no 

truths 
But  many  errors  since  the  time  of  Nice. 

Tissot.     (Reads.)     "  The  Papal  Court  of  Vienne  hath 

adjudg'd 
His  book  destructive  of  the  common  faith." 

Servetus.     That  charge  came  from  your  Calvin,  through 
De  Trie. 

48 


of  (Beneva, 

No  thanks  to  him  I  was  not  burn'd  alive.9 
The  priests  let  me  escape. 

Colladon.  Why  came  he  hither  ? 

Tissot.     {Reads.}     "  He  hath  been  leagu'd  with  other 

heretics, 

In  Frankfort,  Venice,  and  in  Genoa, 
And  hither  comes  to  sow  his  heresies." 

Servetus.     A  trav'ler  I  was  passing  through  your  city, 
And  meant  next  day  to  sail  across  the  Lake. 

Du  Pan.     Ha!  ha!     You  spent  a  month  in  passing 
through! 

Colladon.     What  was  he  doing  at  the  Inn-of-the-Rose  ? 

Tissot.     {Reads.)     "  While  at  the  Inn  he  air'd  some 

vile  amours, 
Which  are  the  natural  fruit  of  heresy. ' ' 

Servetus.     Oh,  that  was  all  the  merest  pleasantry. 
I  could  not  be  a  libertine  if  I  would,10 
And  have  liv'd  purely  as  a  Christian  should. 

Tissot.      {Reads.)      "  With   certain    traitors   here   he 

hath  conspir'd; 

Chiefly  that  outlaw' d  fornicator,  Gueroult, 
The  printer  of  his  book." 

Servetus.  Oh — ay — no — he 

Did  understand  not  that  which  he  had  printed. 
Nobody  do  I  know  in  all  your  city." 

Colladon.     Enough!  enough  on  that  point!     Come  we 

now 

Unto  the  kernel  charge  of  heresy. 
Wind  not  around  it  with  mere  sinuous  words, 
But  let  us  have  straight  answers,  Yes  or  No. 

[CALVIN  appears  with  the  PASTORS,  behind  COLLADON. 

Tissot.     (Reads.)     "  He  calls  the  Trinity  a  Cerberus; 
Makes  ev'n  the  devil  part  of  Deity; 
Says  there  could  be  no  more  of  incarnation 

49 


ZTbe  IRetormer 


In  men  than  asses,  and " 

Berthelier.   (Interrupting.)   Good  my  Lord  Lieutenant, 
Pray  do  be  simply  just  and  read  no  more. 
These  tropes  and  figures  of  polemic  wit, 
Stript  of  their  prickly  husk  of  verbiage, 
Will  yield  the  fruit  of  truth  which  I  maintain ; 
And  so  befriend  this  friendless  prisoner.12 

Calvin.     (Advancing  beside  LA  FONTAINE.)  1S 
Most  honored  lords,  I  crave  your  pardon,  while 
I  claim  my  right  to  be  th'  accuser  here. 
Not  on  this  noble  youth,  but  on  my  head 
Be  all  the  peril  as  I  now  confront 
Not  merely  this  new  heresy  in  the  Church, 
But  come  to  charge  thee,  Philibert  Berthelier, 
With  treason  to  the  State ! 

Berthelier.  And  I  hurl  back 

The  charge  as  a  spent  javelin  to  smite 
Its  owner. 

Vandel.     It  's  false! 

Du  Pan.  It  's  true! 

[Cries  of  "  True!  "  and  "  False!  " 

D' Arlod.     (To  the  HERALD.)     Bid  silence. 

Herald.  Silence!     Silence! 

D' Arlod.     Or  true  or  false,  it  is  beside  the  point. 
Let  the  attorney  speak,  as  to  this  prisoner. 

Rigot.     What  need  of  words  ?     He  hath  condemn'd 

himself 

In  open  court,  and  to  his  other  crimes, 
Sedition,  blasphemy,  conspiracy, 
Now  addeth  perjury  to  cap  his  guilt. 
A  troubler  throughout  Christendom;  long 
A  secret  foe  of  our  republic ;  here 
He  hides,  a  lurking  spider,  with  his  web 
Of  heresy  through  Italy  and  France. 

50 


ot  Geneva, 

Let  web  and  spider  both  be  swept  away, 
As  with  the  avenging  besom  of  the  Law. 

Du  Pan.     Away  with  him ! 

Senators.  Ay!  Ay! 

D'Arlod.  The  Senate  wills  it, 

Most  learned  Rigot;  and  through  you  its  mouth 
The  city  now  becomes  the  prosecutor 
For  its  own  welfare,  peace,  and  dignity.14 

Colladon.  And  what  of  him  who  for  the  city's  life 
Hath  risk'd  his  own  ?  Set  forth  the  law,  I  pray  you, 
As  to  th'  accuser. 

Rigot.  He  is  more  than  free. 

The  freedom  of  the  city  he  hath  sav'd 
From  peril  he  may  claim  his  own  by  right, 
And  share  the  civic  honor  he  hath  won. 

D' Arlod.     'T    is   so   decreed.      Give   him  his  sword 

again, 

A  trophy  twice  his  own.     Enroll  his  name, 
Defender  of  the  city.     Go;  brave  youth, 
Begirt  with  all  the  power  of  Geneva, 
As  free  as  any  of  her  free-born  sons, 
And  radiant  with  honor.  [Handing  the  sword. 

Senators.  Vive  La  Fontaine ! 

[Exit  LA  FONTAINE,  with  COLLADON]. 
Let  Master  Calvin  wait  our  summons  here, 
With  these  expert  divines,  to  probe  and  cut 
The  cancer  of  this  fest'ring  heresy.15 

[CALVIN  and  the  PASTORS  withdraw.] 
Look  to  your  prisoner,  Lord  Lieutenant.     Take 
Him  hence  and  keep  him  close  with  sentries, 
And  windows  barr'd  against  his  plotting  allies. 

[BERTHELIER  whispers  to  SERVETUS,  as  he  is  about  to 
withdraw  with  TISSOT. 

Berthelier.     First  let  us  hear  what  he  will  say  to  us. 


IReformer 


Servetus.      Most  wise,  most  mighty,  most  illustrious 

lords, 

I  seek  but  justice  through  your  clemency;  — 
That  justice  of  the  holy  fathers,  who 
Deem'd  heresy  a  sin  'gainst  God  and  not 
A  crime  'gainst  man,  with  bloody  penalties. 
Should  so  divine  a  thing  as  Christian  truth 
Be  dragged  into  a  prison  and  a  court  ? 
If  I  am  wrong,  ye  need  but  prove  me  so 
By  force  of  reason  and  by  Holy  Writ.  " 
Let  not  this  fierce  pursuer  seek  to  write 
His  tenets  in  my  blood,  but  bid  him  come 
Before  a  full  assembly  of  the  Church 
With  weapons  spiritual,  with  texts  and  proofs: 
There  let  us  have  our  wordy  battle  out 
And  by  the  issue  will  I  stand  or  fall.1' 

Calvin.     {Returning.}     No   higher   honor   could   this 

court  confer 

Than  bid  me  so  defend  my  Master's  cause, 
With  ail  the  people  witnesses  and  judges. 

[Exeunt  CALVIN  and  PASTORS. 

Vandel.      He    were    ill-match'  d    against    this    sharp 
polemic. 

Du  Pan.     It  might  be  well  to  have  his  errors  shown 
In  fair  debate  upon  the  public  stage. 

D'  Arlod.     No;  no:  this  trial  is  no  mere  debate: 
We  must  not  make  a  show  of  law  and  justice 
Before  a  gaping  crowd. 

Rigot.  Nor  dare  we  yield 

To  this  adventurer,  who  would  seduce 
And  stir  the  people  up  to  mutiny. 
He  plead  for  canon  law  and  precedent 
Who  as  a  schoolboy  read  Justinian 
Denouncing  death  to  all  such  heretics  ? 

52 


of  Geneva* 

He  prate  of  his  offence  as  spiritual  ? 

And  cite  us  to  a  wordy  tournament 

As  though  we  were  a  synod  of  divines  ? 

We  charge  him  with  a  crime  as  well  as  sin : 

No  subtle  heresy  of  thought  alone, 

To  rend  the  minds  of  men  apart;  nor  yet 

Mere  blasphemy  to  shock  the  highest  Heaven 

And  jar  the  base  of  order  here  on  earth, 

But  that  dire  scourge  alike  of  Church  and  State, — 

Sedition,  with  wild  eyes  and  flaming  torch, 

And  riot,  rapine,  ruin  in  its  train. 

[Pointing  towards  BERTHELIER  and  SERVETUS  who  are 

seen  whispering  together^ 
And  must  we  add  ? — some  whisper' d  treason  there! 

Servetus.     My  lords,  I  am  a  poor,  lone  stranger  here, 
Unknowing  in  the  customs  of  your  city, 
Unus'd  to  the  procedure  of  this  court. 
I  beg  you  let  me  have  some  learned  man 
Of  law  an  advocate  to  plead  my  cause. 
Since  I  am  forc'd  to  take  a  felon's  place, 
I  would  I  might  escape  a  felon's  doom. 

Rigot.     Inept!  impertinent!  and  insolent! 
The  law  allows  not  one  who  breaks  the  law, 
When  self-convicted,  to  defend  his  crime; 
Nor  might  the  keenest  lawyer  find  a  grain 
Of  innocence  in  all  his  chaff  or  words. 
In  sooth,  he  lies  so  well,  no  advocate 
Could  help  him  lie,  or  would  affront  the  face 
Of  justice  with  his  brazen  impudence. 
Let  us  proceed,  at  once  proceed,  to  judgment.18 

[Re-enter  POUPIN  and  BERNARD. 

Poupin.     Why  tarry  ye,  who  are  the  ministers 
Of  justice!     Do  ye  bear  the  sword  in  vain  ? 
While  ye  sit  here  our  pulpits  call  down  vengeance: 

53 


IRetorrner 


Our  solemn  meetings  are  aflame  with  rage 
And  holy  horror  at  this  impious  Spaniard. 
Verily:  if  Satan  had  come  out  of  hell, 
He  could  not  vomit  forth  worse  blasphemies.19 

Bernard.     Ay  —  ay  —  he  is  an  own  son  of  the  devil, 
Well  serv'd  were  he  torn  limb  from  limb.30 

\_Shouts  and  groans  outside.     Enter  PERRIN  with  CITI 
ZENS.     He  takes  his  place  as  Chief  Syndic.  21 

Perrin.     We    come    to    voice   your  judgment,    noble 

lords  ; 

Ye  hear  it  in  the  shouts  of  the  Two  Hundred 
And  distant  murmurs  of  the  populace, 
Demanding  that  this  hapless  stranger,  cast 
Within  th'  asylum  of  our  open  gates, 
Have  liberty,  —  with  vengeance  on  the  head 
Of  his  pursuers.     And  so  end  the  brawl, 
Which  mars  the  city's  majesty  and  peace. 

Citizens.       (One    after   another.}       Liberty!     Justice! 
Vengeance!     Down  with  Calvin! 

Servetus.      Hear    the    Two    Hundred:      Down    with 
Calvin! 

Berthelier,     Vandel  ! 

Citizens.  Vandel!  Vandel! 

Perrin.  Let  Vandel  speak! 

[HERALD  lifts  his  staff  to  signify  silence. 

Vandel.     Ye  come,  my  lord  Chief  Syndic,  on  the  edge 
Of  time,  as  when  a  general  arrives 
To  turn  the  battle  from  defeat  and  rout. 
No  hapless  stranger  is  on  trial  now, 
But  free-born  children  of  Geneva  —  you, 
And  I,  and  all  of  us,  the  whole  republic  — 
At  the  behest  of  an  intruding  stranger, 
As  foreign  to  our  laws  as  to  our  blood. 

[Re-enter  CALVIN. 

54 


of  Geneva, 

Citizens.     The  old  French  fox!     Reynard!  Reynard! 
Reynard! 

Francesco,.     {Appearing  and  disappearing  in  the  crowd.) 
Base,  lying  slanderer  of  my  noble  father! 

Calvin.     What  crimes  he  hath  committed  ye  well  know 
Who  were  his  judges;  and  to  veil  such  crimes 
Is  but  to  lose  the  veil  of  modesty, 
In  woman  or  in  man. 

Francesca.      {Reappearing  and  disappearing.)     Oh,  ye 

soft  hearts! 

Weak  judges  cringing  to  a  vagrant  priest! 
Must  ev'n  a  woman  shame  you  to  be  men  ? 

Calvin.     I   pray   you,   let   these  brawlers   know    that 

they 

Must  go  and  build  themselves  another  city 
Ere  they  can  make  of  yours  their  Babylon. 

Francesca.     You  wicked  man!    you'd  like   to  drink 

the  blood 

Of  our  family.     But  you  will  soon  be  driven 
Out  of  Geneva!22 

Servetus.  Hunt  him  from  your  city,  out! 

Out  like  a  blind  man  howling  in  a  desert! 
Brand  him  as  with  a  red-hot  cross  of  fire ! 
Wretch!  Liar!  Conjurer!   Seducer!  Tyrant! 
Manslayer!     Pity  all  your  crimes, 
As  black  and  thick  as  swarming,  stinging  wasps, 
Had  not  been  nipp'd  i'  the  belly  of  your  mother!  " 

Citizens.     Away  with  Calvin !     Live  Servetus ! 

D'Arlod.  Shame! 

Shame,  senators!     These  tongues  disgrace  the  ears 
That  hear  them. 

Perrin.  Yet  they  voice  the  public  will, 

Albeit  rudely.     Have  ye  heard  enough  ? 

\To  the  HERALD.]     Bid  them  away. 
55 


IRefonner 


\_At  the  signal  from  PERRIN,  the  HERALD,  bearing  his 
staff  before  him,  clears  the  hall  and  restores  order. 

Calvin.     Let  not  the  tumult  move  you,  honored  lords. 
These  idle  charges  waste  themselves  in  air; 
And  with  this  obscene  dog  I  bandy  words 
No  more.     Ye  now  may  see  the  mask  torn  off 
The  trait'  rous  faction  here,  that  would  drag  down 
Both  Church  and  State  into  one  common  ruin. 

Vandel.     Who  is  this  low-born  Picard  that  dares  talk 
Of  traitors  among  noble  senators  ? 

Servet-us.     Does  he  decree  your  doctrine  like  the  Sor- 
bonne  ? 

Perrin.     Have  we  no  head  ?     No  civic  dignity  ? 
Has  this  bold  preacher-priest  become  confessor 
To  the  whole  city  with  his  penances 
And  his  inquisitorial  court  of  morals  ? 
Shall  high-born  nobles  and  patrician  dames 
Be  driven  from  the  altar  of  their  sires 
As  excommunicate  ?     Must  even  a  Favre 
In  chains  cry  "  Liberty!  "  along  our  streets, 
While  the  proud  daughter  of  his  ancient  house 
Lowers  her  coronet  to  prison  bars,  — 
Because,  forsooth,  the  pleasures  of  her  rank 
Suit  not  this  carping  censor  of  our  manners 
And  this  subverter  of  our  cherish'd  laws  ? 
His  yoke  we  cannot,  and  we  will  not  bear. 

Calvin.     'T  is  not  my  yoke,  most  noble  Syndic;  nor 
By  me  impos'd;  it  is  the  yoke  of  Christ 
Ye  would  not  bear;     And  'neath  that  yoke 
The  proudest  their  stiff  necks  shall  bend  ;  albeit 
As  many  coronets  as  haughty  heads 
Were  in  the  House  of  Favre!  24 

Vandel.  Ho!  ye  gods! 

Where  is  our  Comic  Caesar  now  ?     It  seems 
56 


of  Geneva* 

There  is  a  Hildebrand  upon  the  stage, 
With  mock  anathemas,  like  mimic  thunders, 
In  his  small  theatre. 

Calvin.  A  part  I  have 

To  act,  upon  a  stage  invisible 
To  mortal  eyes,  beneath  th'  all-seeing  Judge, 
With  high  onlooking  angels  round  the  scene 
Where  Truth  with  Error,  Vice  with  Virtue  strives, 
While  Christendom  awaits  th'  unfolding  plot 
Of  Providence.     Be  this  my  theatre: 
With  its  applauses  I  shall  be  content, 
Though  all  the  world  should  smite  me  in  the  face.26 

D'Arlod.     Bravo!     A  Cicero  to  Catiline! 

Berthelier.     My  lords,  I  have  no  hidden  part  to  act; 
Nor  have  I  any  sermon  here  to  preach, 
Such  as  we  now  have  heard,  and  heard  before, 
But  a  plain  matter  of  our  law,  too  dull 
And  dry  for  pulpit-tricks  or  stage-effects, 
Yet  gravely  real  and  of  public  weight. 
Ye  have  arraign 'd  this  learned  foreigner, 
A  heretic,  and  if  ye  heed  the  words 
Of  his  most  rev'rend  prosecutor 

Servetus.  Tyrant! 

Manslayer!    Torturer! 

Berthelier.  Ye  will  at  last 

Condemn  and  burn  him  with  anathemas. 
Such  power  ye  have  in  your  high  office;  but 
The  power  to  punish  carries  power  t'  absolve  98; 
And  justice  which  ye  mete  to  a  mere  stranger, 
That  justice  must  ye  mete  to  one  free-born, — 
Ay,  high-born,  yet  debarr'd  our  ancient  altar. 
Wherefore,  I  stand  upon  our  civic  rights 
Against  this  new  usurping  court  of  aliens, 
And  claim  your  absolution  from  its  censure, 

57 


ZTbe  IReformer 

With  leave  to  take  the  Holy  Eucharist, 
Please  God,  on  Sunday  next. 

Vandel.  Vive  Berthelier! 

Perrin.     Honor  to  his  immortal  sire! 

Senators.  Ay !   Ay ! 

And  freedom  for  us  all! 

Calvin.     I  pray  you  force  me  not,  most  honor' d  lords, 
To  do  what  God  forbids.     In  your  own  realm 
Your  will  is  mine.     But  one  there  is,  the  Lord 
Of  lords,  our  Master,  whom  I  must  obey, 
Though  I  lay  down  my  life. 

[CALVIN  stands  aside  in  quiet  dignity. 

Poupin.  How  dare  we  cast 

The  holy  bread  to  dogs  ? 

Vandel.  A  dog  art  thou 

To  speak  so  in  this  presence! 

Bernard.  Your  new  edicts 

Yield  to  Christ's  ministers  His  power  of  keys, 
To  open  or  to  shut  the  gates  of  Heaven ; 
And  being  shut  ye  may  not  open  them, 
And  let  in  outlaws  to  the  Holy  Feast. 

Perrin.     Talk  not  of  new  edicts.     We  have  the  old, 
The  rights  episcopal  as  well  as  ducal. 
The  imperial  eagle  guards  the  Sacred  Keys:  " 

\_Pointing  to  the  Arms  of  Geneva. ~\ 
We  dare  not  yield  them  into  foreign  hands. 
Nor  did  we  wrest  them  from  the  grasp  of  Rome 
To  put  your  petty  popedom  in  its  place. 

Servetus.     O  worthy  judges!     Upright  magistrates! 
Well  do  ye  bear  your  Christian  dignities! 

Perrin.     Give  to  the  noble  Berthelier  his  warrant, 
With  the  great  seal.     If  minded  to  live  well 
And  clear  in  his  own  conscience,  he  may  take 
The  Holy  Supper  in  our  Church  St.  Peter, 

58 


of  Geneva. 

On  Sunday  next;  and  there  attend  we  all 
With  him  and  see  this  mandate  does  not  fail. 

[The  SECRETARY  hands  the  document  to  BERTHELIER. 

Servetus.     Now   justice,    righteous    lords,    to   one   a 

stranger, 

Yet  mayhap  heaven-sent  deliverer. 
Accuser  of  my  accuser  here  I  stand. 
Bid  to  your  bar  as  prisoner  with  me 
This  liar,  persecutor,  slanderer, 
False  teacher,  this  seducing  Simon  Magus, 
This  would-be  murderer,  John  Calvin ; 
And  by  your  Lex  talionis  take  his  life 
For  mine,  with  all  his  goods.     No  longer  then 
Can  he  bewitch  and  lord  it  o'er  your  city. 
Lo !  a  Saint  Michael  come  to  slay  the  dragon !  a8 

{Outcries  of  Hear!  hear!  "  and  "  Shame!  shame!  " 

D' Arlod.     My  lords!  my  lords!  we  're  like  a  wrang 
ling  crew 

Upon  a  starless  sea,  and  tempest-driven 
We  know  not  whither.     What  are  these  disputes, 
These  petty  quarrels  of  inflam'd  divines, 
These  ravings  of  a  craz'd  enthusiast 
But  mutiny  in  face  of  yawning  shipwreck  ? 
Or  what  our  civic  laws  and  precedents, 
As  weigh' d  against  the  law  and  interest 
Of  Christendom  ?     Look  out  beyond  our  walls. 
Hath  not  even  Rome  made  common  cause  with  us 
Against  this  prisoner  ?     Send  to  Vienne, 
That  we  may  learn  why  they  imprisoned  him : 
Why  judg'd  him  guilty:  and  how  he  escaped. 
And  are  we  not  confederate  with  the  Swiss, 
To  stand  or  fall  by  our  protector,  Berne  ? 
Let  your  State-Messenger  go  round  the  cantons 
And  from  their  syndics  and  their  churches  glean 

59 


IReformer  ot  Geneva, 


Such  counsel  as  shall  make  us  of  one  mind. 

Else  rampant  Anarchy  will  soon  dissolve 

Your  Senate,  and  your  streets  run  red  with  blood. 

Berthelier.     (Aside  to  his  partisans.')     Appeal!  appeal! 

Berne  is  no  friend  to  Calvin, 
And  once  pluck'  d  Bolsec  from  his  logic  vise. 

VandeL     The  senator  speaks  wisely.     We  appeal  - 

Servetus.     To  Berne!     Let  Berne  be  umpire! 

Perrin.  And  what  say 

Our  gracious  lords  the  reverend  ministers  ? 

Calvin.     (Aside  to  his  Colleagues.}    Were  we  to  say  't  is 

daylight  at  high  noon, 
They  would  deny  it  in  their  present  temper.''" 

[  To  PERRIN.]     Naught  more,  save  that  we  join  in  the 

appeal  — 

From  madness  to  sane  reason  —  if  found  elsewhere. 
Though  earthly  judges  all  prove  weak  and  false, 
There  is  a  Judge  of  judges,  sitting  high 
Above  the  passions  of  their  erring  state, 
Who  oft  reverses  their  crude,  hasty  judgment 
And  turns  their  seeming  wisdom  into  folly. 

Perrin.     Well  then  !  we  seem  to  be  at  last  agreed. 
Nothing  remains  but  that  our  embassies 
Shall  bring  us  further  light  and  counsel.     Meantime 
Let  Monsieur  Calvin  preach  and  do  his  duty. 
So  shall  we  hear  the  voice  of  Christendom, 
And  find  out  who  is  master  in  Geneva.80 


60 


ACT  IV. 

THE  JUDGMENT  OF  CHRISTENDOM. 

SCENE     I.— A  ROOM  IN  THE  CAPTAIN-GENERAL'S  PALACE. 
SCENE    II. — A  DUNGEON  IN  THE  OLD  BISHOP'S  PALACE. 
SCENE  III.— THE  SENATE  CHAMBER  IN  THE  TOWN-HALL. 


61 


ACT  IV. 

SCENE  I. 

A  Room  in  the  Palace  of  the  CAPTAIN-GENERAL.     Enter 
LA  FONTAINE  and  IDELETTE. 

La  Fontaine.     At  length  the  cloud  has  pass'd,   the 

shadow  gone, 

And  we  are  come  into  the  light  again, 
Each  dearer  for  the  shadow  and  the  cloud. 

Idelette.     Since  now  thou  art  a  true  son  of  Geneva. 

La  Fontaine.     And  thou,    a  daughter  of  the  exiled 

Church. 

So  always  in  the  clouded  heaven  of  Love, 
The  stars  are  shining,  though  we  see  them  not. 
The  faith  of  lovers,  like  their  faith  in  God, 
Is  but  refined  by  trials,  and  their  hope 
Shines  like  the  moon  through  every  passing  sorrow. 

Idelette.     Would  that  the  skies  would  clear  above  this 

house! 

Some  murky  trouble  gathers  over  it. 
I  feel  it  in  the  air,  as  one  can  feel 
The  chill  of  coming  storms.     My  moody  father 
Sits  in  unwonted  silence;  and,  at  times, 
Unseen  I  hear  my  mother's  angry  tongue 
Break  out  in  fierce  reproaches.     Seldom  now 
They  see  me; — she,  to  watch  me  like  a  lynx, 
And  he,  to  only  gaze  with  vacant  look. 

63 


Ube  IRetormer 

La  Fontaine.     'T   is   but  a  common  madness  of  the 

hour 

Which  rages  since  that  crack-brain 'd  heretic  came 
To  turn  the  city  upside-down.     Some  plot, 
I  fear,  is  brewing  elsewhere,  if  not  here. 

Idelette.     'T  was  that  so  overcast  my  dreams  last  night. 
I  saw  the  city  wake  to  Sabbath  prayer 
And  praise.     The  great  bell,  Clemence,  peal'd  o'er  town 
And  lake  and  distant  vale.     The  streets  were  throng' d 
With  worshippers;  and  in  the  temples  choirs 
Of  children  sang  their  practic'd  melodies, 
The  songs  of  our  sweet  psalmodist,  Marot.1 
And  then  I  saw  wild  bands  of  dark-brow' d  men, 
With  murd'rous  looks  and  daggers  drawn.     And  then — 
I  shudder  but  to  think  of  what  I  saw. 

La  Fontaine.     A  dream,  yet  not  a  dream.     Often  our 

dreams 

Are  only  dreams.     Th'  unguarded  thoughts  in  sleep, 
When  freed  from  Reason  and  the  regnant  Will, 
Are  but  mere  lawless  images  of  things 
By  Fancy  led  as  in  a  masque  and  revel, 
Yet  sometimes  show  the  habit  of  the  mind 
And  its  affinity  with  good  or  evil. 
Then  wicked  souls,  like  puppets  grossly  mo v'd, 
Make  sport  for  mocking  demons;  but  the  good, 
Whose  waking  thoughts  are  pure,  ev'n  in  their  dreams 
Lie  open  to  all  heavenly  influence 
And  gracious  ministry  of  kindred  spirits. 
The  dear  remember' d  dead  come  back  to  them. 
Angels  may  visit  them  in  troublous  times 
With  warning  visions  of  impending  woes; 
And  they  in  turn  become  like  angels,  who 
Can  see  us  better  than  we  see  ourselves, 
And  guard  us  from  the  ills  to  which  we  're  prone. 

64 


of  <$enex>a. 

Perhaps  thy  dream  thou  wilt  remember,  should 
Its  pictur'd  terrors  come  in  sight,  and  then 
Of  some  safe  refuge  think  for  those  still  dear, 
Some  hiding-place  beyond  the  city  walls. 
Meanwhile,  fear  not,  but  trust  in  Heaven's  grace 
Which  yet  may  bring  ev'n  to  this  troubl'd  House, 
As  to  Geneva,  "  after  darkness  light." 

[Exeunt  LA  FONTAINE  and  IDELETTE. 


[Enter  PERRIN  and  BERTHELIER. 

Berthelier.      'T  is  time  for  "  Caesar  "  to  be  tragical. 

Perrin.     Methinks  we  've  had  enough  of  comedy. 

Berthelier.     Too  much.     This  madcap  Spaniard  mars 

the  plot. 

The  senators  will  have  no  more  of  him. 
The  cantons  will  adjudge  him  to  the  stake. 
'T  will  but  remain  to  lift  him  as  a  martyr 
Before  an  angry,  surging  populace, 
And  whelm  our  foes  as  in  a  storm  of  blood. 
Then  may  he  serve  us  better  dead  than  living. 

Perrin.     I  hope  we  yet  may  save  as  wrell  as  use  him. 

Berthelier.     I  much  fear  it.      Our  pious  tyrant  prayed 
As  if  he  were  prime-minister  of  Heaven, 
And  doubtless  sent  before  our  Messenger 
Letters  to  shape  the  judgment  he  invok'd. 
So  do  such  saints  oft  answer  their  own  prayers. 
And  now  we  can  but  thwart  his  art  with  force, 
That  desp'rate  remedy  for  tyranny 
No  less  than  heresy. 

[Goes  to  the  door  and  admits  GUEROULT.] 

Here  is  Gueroult, 
Come  to  report  as  to  your  secret  orders. 

Gueroult.     I  have  obeyed  them  as  a  willing  slave. 
65 


IRetormer 


Perrin.     Are  the  men  listed  ? 

Gueroult.  Ay,  and  posted  all 

By  fifties  in  the  sev'ral  parishes, 
Like  prowling  wolves  among  the  sleeping  folds. 

Perrin.     And  armed  ? 

Gueroult.  Well  armed:     [Draws  his 

dagger,  and  throws  open  his  cloak,  to  show  a  white 
cross  on  his  doublet^ 

Each  with  a  figured  doublet, 
Designed  to  flatter  the  Consistory 
And  help  the  Lord  to  know  His  own. 

Perrin.  Gueroult, 

You  jest  too  much.     This  is  most  serious. 

Gueroult.     And  I  am  serious.     Revenge  but  seems 
To  make  men  merry. 

Perrin.  Go  with  him,  Berthelier: 

See  all  the  captains,  charge  them  each  by  oath 
To  answer  any  gen'ral  call  to  arms. 
And  let  the  Great  Bell  give  the  signal  peal. 

\_Exeunt  BERTHELIER  and  GUEROULT. 


\_Enter  IDELETTE,  kneeling  before  PERRIN. 

Idelette.     O  my  good  father,  I  like  not  the  faces 
Of  those  two  men: — have  nought  to  do  with  them — 
I  saw  them  pass — have  seen  them  in  my  dreams, 
Wearing  white  crosses  all  besmeared  with  blood, 
And  rushing  among  slaughter'd  men  and  babes 
And  women  who  stretch' d  out  their  hands  to  Heaven 

Perrin.     Poor  child!  thy  weak  young  nerves  are  all 

unstrung,     [lifting  her  up\ 
Come  to  thy  mother. 

Idelette.  No!  no!  tell  her  not, 

Flee,  flee  with  her  out  of  this  doomed  city, 

66 


ot  Geneva. 

Beyond  the  wall — t'  our  country-seat — until 
The  storm  is  past! 

[Exit  IDELETTE,  as  FRANCESCA  enters  from  the  opposite 
side. 

Francesco,.     Is  all  arranged  ? 

Perrin.     (Absently.}  All  is  arranged. 

Francesca.  Gueroult 

And  Berthelier  have  both  been  here  ? 

Perrin.     (Absently. )  Gueroult 

And  Berthelier  have  both  been  here. 

Francesca.     What   means    this    absent    mood  ?     This 

pallor  on 
A  cheek  that  never  blanches  ?     Art  thou  sick  ? 

Perrin.     Sick  ?     Sick  of  the  whole  bloody  business !     I 
Have  had  a  warning  as  from  heaven. 

Francesca.  Tut!   Tut! 

Womanish  fancies,  mere  dyspeptic  humors, 
Bred  of  last  night's  debauch,  as  the  brain  cools, 
And  turns  its  images  to  horrid  shapes. 
Shake  off  these  visions  of  a  morbid  creed, 
Be  no  weak  Herod  to  this  would-be  John 
The  Baptist.     Make  not  me  a  Herod's  wife 
To  dare  thee  bring  his  head  upon  a  charger! 

Perrin.     (Still  absently   looking  where  IDELETTE   had 

vanished. ) 
What  if  this  were  an  angel  voice  ? 

Francesca .  Aha! 

My  lord  is  in  his  role  of  "  Tragic  Caesar." 
If  this  mood  lasts,  I  '11  play  the  Amazon 
To  muster  forth  his  troop  of  fierce  crusaders 
And  through  the  streets  cry  out  "  To  arms!  to  arms!  " 

[  Withdrawing. 

Perrin.     (Recovering.']    "    To   arms!  "     I   should  be 
ready  for  that  call, 

67 


ZTbe  IRetormer 

Who  never  yet  did  hear  it  but  to  heed  it! 
And  I  must  follow  it,  though  it  lead  me  on 
Through  seas  of  carnage  to  the  brink  of  hell. 

[Exit  PERRIN,  following  FRANCESCA. 


SCENE  II. 

A  Dungeon  in  the  Old  Bishop's  Palace.     SERVETUS  ap 
pears,  wasted  and  in  ragged  clothes? 

Servetus.     Day  after  day — week  after  week — and  still 
No  tidings  from  the  cantons.     Morn  and  eve, 
The  prison  lights  and  shadows  come  and  go 
Only  to  mock  my  hopes, — and  I  grow  sick 
At  heart  and  wasted  with  this  foul  disease, 
This  darkness,  silence,  and  oblivion. 
O  my  good  Christian  masters,  Turks  would  treat 
Me  less  unkindly!  and  you  summer  friends, 
Where  are  ye  now  ?     Yet  I  live  on,  and  dream 
Of  liberty,  as  starving  men  will  dream 
Of  feasts.     [Goes  to  the  window  and  looks  out.~\ 

So  pined  afar  in  Chillon's  walls 
That  other  prisoner  of  tyranny, 
The  patriot  Bonnivard,  through  six  long  years, 
Immured  below  the  ripples  of  the  lake 
Until  his  island-dungeon  seem'd  a  tomb. 
Then  came  deliverers  and  burst  the  bars, 
As  in  a  miracle  of  resurrection, 
And  led  him  forth  into  the  living  world 
To  free  the  State — as  I  would  free  the  Church. 

[Clanging  doors  are  opened  behind  him  and  light  streams 
into  the  prison  as  CLAUDE  enters^} 
68 


of  Geneva* 

Ha!  is  the  vision  real  ?  while  I  dream' d  it! 
Light!  Freedom!  Glory!  have  ye  come  at  last  ? 

Claude.     Be  ready  for  the  worst ! 

Servetus.  The  worst!  I  dream'd 

It  was  the  best. 

Claude.  The  cantons  with  one  voice 

Decree  the  penalty  of  heresy. 

Servetus.     O  God!  it  must  not  be!     It  is  too  terrible. 
To  die — to  die  accursed.     I  cannot  bear  it. 

0  misery  !     Mercy  !    Mercy  !    Mercy!      \_Falls  into  a 

paroxysm. 

Claude.     Poor   wretch  !      Thou   canst   not   play   the 

Christian:  be 
At  least  a  man. 

Servetus.  'T  is  harder  here  to  play 

The  Christian  than  the  man. 

Claude.  Take  one  more  hope: 

Know  that  Gueroult,  made  desp'rate  by  the  news, 
Is  mustering  now  his  bands.     Thanks  to  their  courage — 
Not  to  thy  faith — thou  mayest  yet  be  free. 

Servetus.     Bear  with  me,  Claude.     Thou  'rt  no  anato 
mist, 

And  hast  not  pried  into  this  curious  frame 
To  see  what  vexing  tricks  it  plays  with  us, 
When  under  sudden  impulse  from  the  brain, 
The  nimble  blood  is  scar'd  into  the  heart, 
Like  troops  recoiling  to  a  citadel, 
Thence  to  rush  out  again  and  reinforce 
The  coward  nerves  and  the  o'ermastered  will.3 

1  'm  better  now. 

Claude.  And  I  must  go.     New  guards 

And  stricter  take  my  place.4  [Exit  CLAUDE. 

[Enter  Guards  with  FAREL,  followed  by  two  SYNDICS 
and  CALVIN.' 

69 


TTbe  IReformer 

Servetus.  Ugh!  there  's  that  Farel, 

Who  always  stirs  the  hidden  devil  in  me: 
So  lion-hearted,  yet  so  meek  he  seems. 
Now  pluck  up  thy  whole  self,  a  true  Saint  Michael, 
To  fight  these  dragons  in  their  guise  of  saints. 
Why  have  ye  come  hither  ? 

Farel.  To  save  thy  soul. 

Servetus.     Thou  'rt  not  its  Saviour. 

Farel.  And  the  souls  of  those 

Thou  seekest  to  destroy  with  heresy. 
Recant,  that  life  may  come  to  thee  and  them, 
And  peace  be  made  'twixt  brethren  in  the  Church. 

Servetus.     What  ye  call  heresy  I  call  the  truth. 
Can  I  recant  the  truth  ?  and  ye  alone 
Make  brethren  fight.     How  then  can  I  make  peace  ? 

Farel.     Thou  hast  the  sacred   name   of   Christ   dis 
honor' d. 

Servetus.     Proof!     Cite  one  text  for  an  eternal  Christ! 

Farel.     In  principle  erat  Verbum  j 

Servetus.  Tush ! 

Old  straw  thrice  thresh'd.     Let  's  have  no  more  of  that. 

A  Syndic.     Have  mercy  on  thyself.     We  ministers 
Of  Justice  even  would  be  merciful 
And  pluck  thee  as  a  brand  from  out  the  flames. 

Servetus.     Away,  ye  cruel  tempters!  ye  may  kill 
The  body  but  ye  cannot  kill  the  soul; 
And  though  ye  cast  my  books  into  the  fires 
Of  hell,  their  thoughts  shall  smoulder  in  the  minds 
Of  men,  and  some  day  set  the  world  aflame. 
Begone!     Mockers  and  murderers  are  ye  all. 

Syndic.     Die  if  thou  wilt.     Yet  make  thy  peace  with 

him 
Thou  hast  so  wrong' d. 

Servetus.  Calvin  ?     Him  I  would  see. 

70 


of  (Geneva. 

Calvin.     ( Coming  forward. )    What  would'  st  thou  have? 

Servetus.  Thy  pardon,  as  we  part. 

Calvin.     'T  was  given  ere  't  was  ask'd.     No  petty  spite 
Have  I  pursued  through  all  this  war  of  words. 
None  could  I  drag  into  this  last,  stern  hour. 
Remember  how  we  met  in  youth  at  Paris; 
Even  then,  and  at  the  risk  of  life,  I  sought 
To  curb  thy  daring  flight;  and  since  that  time 
Have  pray'd  good  men  might  take  thee  by  the  hand 
And  lead  thee  to  the  way  of  truth;  and  thou 
Hast  shower' d  after  me,  I  know  not  what — 
Scarce  sane  it  seemed.     Let  all  that  be  forgotten. 
Ask  pardon  but  of  Him  thy  Saviour,  whom 
Thou  hast  degraded  from  the  throne  of  Heaven, 
And  seek  His  mercy  ere  it  be  too  late. 

[SERVETUS  falls  into  a  reverie.      The  others  withdraw. 

Far  el.     Ah!  if  he  only  would  recant! 

Syndic.  No!  no! 

We  cannot  spare  him  now. 

Calvin.  Is  it  not  written: 

"  An  heretic  that  hath  been  twice  reproved 
Ye  shall  reject,  as  one  who  but  condemns 
Himself  ' '  ?  \_Exeunt. 

[SERVETUS  remains  in  reverie.     Re-enter  Guards  with 
TISSOT  and  the  SECRETARY  OF  JUSTICE. 

Tissot.     (Aside.}     Sochang'd!     What  spiritual  Power 
Restores  his  reason  ?     \_Touching  his  shoulder .] 

Come  with  me 
To  hear  of  the  good  pleasure  of  my  Lords. 

Servetus.     I  follow,  like  my  Master,  but  to  die.8 

[Exeunt. 


IReformer 

SCENE  III. 

The   Senate   Chamber   in  the   Town- Hall.     D'ARLOD   is 
pacing  meditatively.     Enter  to  him  COLLADON. 

Colladon.     I  find  thee  where  the  State  has  need  of  thee, 
Lord  Syndic;  but  the  Senate  still  not  here! 
What  stays  the  sentence  of  the  heretic  ? 

D '  Arlod.     They  say  our  doughty  Captain  has  a  head 
ache. 

Colladon.     Ah!  to  be  sure!     Or  call  it  stomach-ache: 
Say  he  hath  eaten  unripe  fruit,  and  now 
His  ill-digested  scheme  agrees  not  with  him, 
As  one  by  one  the  cantons  range  themselves 
Against  his  protege. 

D' Arlod.  Poor  maniac! 

What  shall  be  done  with  him,  much  troubles  us. 
This  morning  we  must  hear  the  embassies 
That  will  conclude  his  guilt:     And  then — What  then  ? 
We  may  not  turn  him  loose  in  Christendom, 
A  wolf  to  worry  the  whole  flock  of  Christ ; 
Nor  dare  we  keep  him  pent  up  in  Geneva 
Asa  mere  smother' d  brand  of  revolution — 
Do  with  him  what  we  will,  he  is  a  plague 
Upon  the  State.     We  never  shall  have  peace 
'Till  we  are  rid  of  him. 

Colladon.  Ay,  ay:  to  this 

The  brethren  say  Amen.     It  hath  become 
The  general  verdict,  ever  since  the  day 
When  Berthelier,  that  graceless  reprobate, 
Was  smitten  by  the  secret  wrath  of  God. 
So  dread  and  awful  was  the  scene,  while  round 
The  holy  table  came  his  impious  crew — 
Foul  harpies  fain  to  snatch  the  heavenly  food, — 

72 


of  <3enev>a, 

And  like  another  holy  Chrysostom, 

Fearless  our  great  Reformer  stood  and  cried, 

With  hands  extended  o'er  the  elements; — 

"  Away!     Profane!     Ye  would  but  eat  and  drink 

Damnation  to  yourselves.     Cut  off  these  hands, 

Ere  they  shall  give  the  sacred  things  of  God 

To  those  whom  He  hath  branded  His  despisers!  " 

Back  through  the  parting  throng  the  apostate  fled 

As  though  a  flaming  sword  had  driven  him  forth; 

And  fear  fell  on  the  saints,  and  brooding  awe, 

While  silently  they  took  the  bread  and  wine.7 

And  now  there  is  a  dread  of  pending  judgments, 

Because  that  heretic  Servetus  lives 

An  Achan  in  the  camp.     Saith  not  the  Law 

As  writ  in  Deuteronomy  Thirteenth 

"  A  false  prophet  ye  shall  surely  put  to  death."  8 

D' Arlod.     Thou  art  a  churchly  statesman,  Colladon, 
And  readest  earthly  things  in  heavenly  light, 
By  visions  and  portents  of  Holy  Writ. 
But  wordly  conflicts  call  for  arts  and  arms 
As  well  as  prayers.     These  plotting  libertines, 
Be  sure,  withdrew  with  some  dark  policy; 
And  even  amid  the  general  awe  which  reigns 
Are  lurking  now  like  vermin  in  the  shade. 

\_Enter  LA  FONTAINE  hurriedly. 

La  Fontaine.     My  duty  to  you,  gentlemen,  in  haste. 
I  must  be  brief.     The  dastard  plot  is  all 
Unveil'd.     Our  wily  Berthelier  himself, 
As  overheard  when  garrulous  in  his  cups,9 
Has  dropt  the  pass-word,  sign,  and  countersign; 
And  telltale  parcels  of  white  crosses  show 
Where  Claude  and  Gueroult  have  their  secret  haunts. 
The  lying  butcher-signal  may  be  flouted 
At  any  moment  in  our  streets.     I  wait 

73 


Ube  IRetormer 

Your  orders,  losing  time. 

D' Arlod.     (To  COLLADON.)     How  many  names 
Of  citizens,  said'st  thou,  were  registered  ? 

Colladon.     At  least  three  hundred,  the  best  blood  of 

France. 
D'Arlod.     (To  LA  FONTAINE.)     Go  have  them  arm' d, 

and  by  that  well-won  sword 
Of  thine,  win  back  new  freedom  for  Geneva. 

[Exit  LA  FONTAINE. 

Colladon.     This  is  a  sov'reign  remedy  for  headache. 
Z>' Arlod.     Ay,  it  will  kill  or  cure.     {Voices  outside .] 

Now  comes  the  Senate, 
With  a  quick  sentence  to  the  heretic. 

[Enter  the  SENATE  of  TWENTY-FIVE,  preceded  by  the 
CITY  HERALD  and  the  escort  of  Archers.  PER- 
RIN  presides ;  on  one  side  BERTHELIER,  VANDEL, 
and  three  other  Conspirators ;  on  the  other  side, 
D' ARLOD,  Du  PAN,  CALVIN,  and  three  other 
Colleagues.  The  French  PAPAL  ENVOY  and 
Attendants  with  a  Jailer  and  the  Swiss  STATE- 
MESSENGER  are  in  waiting. 

Perrin.     I  have  been  ill,  most  noble  lords,  more  ill 
In  mind  than  body,  with  a  boding  sense 
Of  evils  coming  on  the  State,  which  yet 
I  trust  our  wisdom  somehow  may  avert.10 
We  wait  the  embassies.     First,  from  Vienne. 

Herald.     {Ushering  the  French   PAPAL    ENVOY   and 

Jailer.} 

The  sage,  illustrious,  and  magnificent 
Lords  of  Vienne,  by  this  their  honor' d  envoy! 

Perrin.     What  say  your  noble  masters  should  be  done 
As  to  our  prisoner,  Michael  Servetus  ? 

Envoy.     With  all  due  courteous  greeting,  simply  this: 
74 


of  Geneva, 

Your  prisoner,  Servetus,  at  Vienna, 

Known  as  Villeneuve,  hath  been  already  tried, 

Condemn'd,  and  even  burn'd  in  effigy, 

Together  with  the  five  bales  of  his  book. 

Wherefore  we  pray  you  to  remand  him  hence 

Unto  our  court  in  Dauphiny,  and  let 

This  jailer  take  his  body  there  and  make 

That  real  which  were  else  a  futile  show 

Of  justice,  and  mere  mockery  of  law. 

So  may  you  spare  yourselves  much  further  trouble. 

Perrin.     A  point  of  law  for  you,  most  learned  Rigot. 

Rigot.     The  prisoner  himself  should  make  election 
To  go  or  stay;  but  if  he  own  our  laws, 
We  cannot  give  him  up  and  must  ourselves 
See  justice  done. 

Perrin.  He  shall  be  brought  before  us, 

And  make  his  choice. 

Envoy.  But  should  he  choose  to  stay 

And  own  your  laws,  we  then  some  written  proof 
Must  have  from  him  that  by  no  fault  of  ours, 
No  aid  or  favor,  he  broke  jail  and  brought 
Such  scandal  on  our  Holy  Inquisition. 

Perrin.     Whatever  he  confesses  ye  shall  have 
With  his  sign-manual. 

Envoy.  And  furthermore: 

His  goods,  some  thousand  crowns  and  more, 
Are  now  confiscate;  and  our  King  of  France 
By  his  lieutenant  here  demands  to  know 
The  debts  and  credits  due  on  the  estate. 

Perrin.     A  gracious  answer  make,  and  say  from  us, 
Full  justice  by  our  edicts  shall  be  done 
Alike  upon  his  body  and  his  goods. 

Envoy.     This  seems  all  fair.     If  we  must  leave  him 
here, 

75 


ZTbe  TReformer 

Thank  God  we  leave  him  in  good  hands,  with  those 
Who  will  not  let  him  slip  again,  nor  fail 
In  zeal  against  a  common  enemy. 

Meanwhile  we  wait  his  choice  and  your  good  pleasure.11 
[Exeunt  ENVOY  and  attendants.     Manet  Jailer. 

Perrin.     Now  let  us  hear  the  cities  of  the  Swiss. 

Herald.     (Ushering  the  STATE-MESSENGER.) 
The  noble  lords  of  Berne,  Schaffhausen,  Zurich, 
And  Basel,  by  this  trusty  Messenger! 

Perrin.     The  purport  of  these  messages  we  know : 
Give  but  the  pith  of  them,  and  waste  no  words. 

Messenger.     (Glancing  through  each  roll  as  he  reads.) 
Our  potent  ally  BERNE  condemns  Servetus 
As  a  destroyer  of  the  Christian  faith ; 
Is  much  incensed  by  all  his  arrogance; 
And  prays  we  may  have  strength  to  put  the  churches 
At  once  beyond  the  reach  of  such  a  pest. 

BASEL  has  grown  intolerant  for  once 
And  counsels,  if  he  cannot  be  reclaimed, 
To  use  the  utmost  power  of  our  office 
That  we  may  stop  his  troubling  of  the  Church. 

ZURICH,  so  moderate,  is  deeply  griev'd 
At  the  impunity  of  heretics, 
And  begs  us  make  of  him  a  lesson,  which 
Shall  wipe  off  the  reproach  in  time  to  come. 

And  blunt  SCHAFFHAUSEN  calls  his  blasphemy 
A  wasting  gangrene  in  the  limbs  of  Christ, 
And  warns  us  that  to  reason  with  him  more, 
Would  but  be  growing  crazy  with  a  fool. 

All  leave  to  us  the  choice  of  penalty; 
But  Berne,  we  know  by  mandatory  hint, 
Would  have  us  cast  him  to  the  flames. 
That  Heaven  so  may  guide  you,  is  their  prayer. 

[Exit  the  STATE-MESSENGER. 
76 


ot  cseneva. 

P  err  in.     A  dismal  showing  this. 

D'Arlod.  He  is  adjudg'd 

Guilty  in  the  high  court  of  Christendom; 
By  Protestant  as  well  as  Catholic. 

Calvin.     (  Withdrawing  with  his  Colleagues. ) 
Bear  witness,  honor'd  lords,  we  have  not  urg'd 
Nor  stayed  this  general  judgment;  and  we  now 
Must  leave  with  you  alone  the  penalty. 
The  tongue  and  pen  are  ours,  and  not  the  sword, 
To  prove,  but  not  to  punish  heresy: 
That  we  account  your  sole  prerogative, 
As  heaven-sent  guardians  of  our  earthly  peace, 
For  us  ordained  of  God  the  Powers  that  be. 
And  since  the  State  must  keep  its  course  of  justice, 
The  Church  can  only  plead  with  you  for  mercy.17 
If  in  your  wisdom  ye  a  forfeit  life 
Can  save  and  save  the  State  which  it  doth  put 
In  peril,  then  let  mercy  turn  the  scale; 
The  which  God  grant. — But  since  ye  judge  not  so, 
We  pray  you  spare  th'  atrocity  of  fire, 
And  use  instead  the  quick  and  painless  sword. 
Leave  to  our  foes  their  mock  auto-da-fe 
And  let  not  scoffers  weave  its  cruel  flames 
A  martyr  halo  through  all  coming  time. 

\_Exeunt  CALVIN  with  his  Colleagues. 

Perrin.     Mercy !     Who  dares  to  plead  for  mercy  what 
Is  due  to  justice  and  to  innocence  ? 
Shall  meddling  parsons  shape  our  civic  rule  ? 
And  foreign  voices  drown  our  native  sense 
Of  right  ?     Be  just,  and  so  be  merciful, 
To  one,  who  though  of  alien  creed,  is  still 
The  city's  guest;  and  let  the  city's  voice 
Be  heard  for  him,  where  only  it  can  speak; — 
Not  here,  but  in  the  Council  of  Two  Hundred! 

77 


ZTbe  IReformer 

D'Arlod.     Treason! 

Du  Pan.  Treason ! 

{Outcries  of  "  The  Plot!  "  "  The  Plot!  "      Groans  and 
hisses. 

Perrin.    {Leaving  the  Chair. ) 
Enough!  enough!     I  will  not  be  your  Pilate, 
To  wash  from  hypocritic  hands  the  blood 
Ye  mean  to  shed.     [Withdrawing  with  Conspirators.] 
We  go  from  these  mad  counsels; 
Honor  flees  where  Justice  cannot  stay; 
Now  light  up,  if  ye  will,  that  funeral  pyre 
Where  future  Genevese  shall  come  to  weep  and  wish 
That  they  might  quench  it  with  their  tears. 

\_Exeunt  PERRIN  and  the  Conspirators. 

D'  Arlod.     Now    Law   and    Order  may  resume  their 

sway, 

Since  Treason  and  Misrule  have  gone  elsewhere, 
To  plot  that  mischief  which  they  dare  not  here, 
And  which  we  now  must  thwart  with  swifter  doom 
Upon  their  tool  and  would-be  leader.     Justice  ? 
Our  word  is  plighted  to  Vienne  and  Berne 
That  fullest  justice  shall  be  done.     Mercy  ? 
No  mercy  can  be  shown  to  one  who  shows 
No  mercy  to  himself.     A  second  time 
He  rushes  to  the  flames.     With  his  own  hand 
Plucks  down  the  highest  penalty  of  law — 
Do  not  our  edicts  call  for  death  by  fire  ? 

Senators.     Ay !     Ay ! 

D' '  Arlod.  Let  him  be  brought  to  judgment.13 

\_Ushered  by  the  HERALD  and  Guards  enter  TISSOT,  the 
SECRETARY  OF  JUSTICE,  FAREL,  and  SERVETUS. 

D'Arlod.     Michael  Servetus,  alias  Villeneuve, 
By  which  of  these  two  names  wilt  thou  be  called  ? 
Choose  whether  to  go  with  this  jailer  to  Vienne, 

7S 


of  Geneva, 

Or  here  await  thy  sentence  ?     \_The  Jailer  approaches. 

Servetus.     {Kneeling  before  the  fudges.)     Cast  me  not, 
Most  merciful  lords,  into  the  flames  I  have 
Escap'd.     Let  me  in  thy  good  pleasure  hope, 
Whate'er  it  be. 

D '  Arlod.             Then  art  thou  twice  condemn'd. 
Syndics  and  Senators,  as  here  conjoined 
In  the  tribunal  of  your  ancestors, 
Having  before  your  eyes  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
The  canons  of  the  code  Justinian, 
The  civic  edicts  and  the  embassies, 
The  evidence  as  to  this  prisoner 
How  judge  ye ? 

Syndics.  Let  him  be  anathema. 

Senators.     Anathema. 

D' Arlod.  Break  over  him  the  staff 

Of  honor. 

Tissot.      {Breaking  a  staff  above  his  head.}     Anathema. 

D' Arlod.  Michael  Servetus, 

Guilty  of  heresy,  of  blasphemy, 
And  of  disturbing  Christendom, 
Thou  art  condemn'd  to  be  led  to  the  place 
Of  Champel;  to  be  bound  there  to  a  stake; 
And  with  thy  books  and  writings  in  thy  girdle, 
To  be  then  burn'd  alive,  until  thy  body 
Has  been  reduced  to  ashes.     So  thy  days 
Shall  end  in  warning  to  all  like  offenders. 

Servetus.     The  sword  in  mercy!  and  not  fire!  lest  I 
Despair  and  lose  my  soul!     [Falling prostrate. 

Du  Pan.  Too  late !  too  late ! 

Another  voice  has  prayed  that  prayer  in  vain ! 

Far  el.     {Lifting  up  SERVETUS.  )     Confess  thy  crime  I 

Servetus.  I  have  not  sinn'd 

Far  el.     Repent !  else  I  must  leave  thee  to  thy  fate. 
79 


TReformer  ot  Geneva, 


Servetus.     Or  if  I  sinn'd,  I  sinn'd  in  ignorance. 
Farel.     Hear,  gracious  lords  !  have  pity  !  pardon  him  ! 
D'  Arlod.     Guards!  do  your  duty. 
[SERVETUS  and  FAREL  are  quickly  surrounded  with  the 
escort  of  Archers  and  preceded  by  the  HERALD  and 
LORD  LIEUTENANT.  [Exeunt. 

Servetus.     (Exclaiming  as  he  disappears.} 
Son  of  the  Eternal  God,  have  mercy  on  me!  u 


80 


ACT  V. 

THE  TRIUMPH  OF  THE  REFORMATION. 

SCENE      I.— THE  PUBLIC  SQUARE  AND  TOWN-HALL. 

SCENE    II. — BEFORE  THE  CATHEDRAL. 

SCENE  III. — THE  INTERIOR  OF  THE  CATHEDRAL. 


8r 


ACT  V. 

SCENE  I. 

The  Public  Square.     Steps  leading  up  to  the  Town-Hall. 

The  Rhone  and  Alps  in  view.     A  group  of  Sailor  sy 

Peasants,  and  Artisans  standing  idly  about. 

First  Bystander.     Another   boat-load  of  the  French 
out  yonder! 

Second  Bystander.     Ay,  and  that  means  more  work 
men  on  our  walls 
And  on  our  quays  and  streets. 

First  Bystander.  It  means  starvation. 

The  devil  take  these  Frenchmen !     They  pull  down 
Our  wages  and  put  up  the  price  of  bread. 

Second  Bystander.     But  bring  the  Gospel  to  us ! 

First  Bystander.  I  like  not 

That  new  imported  article;  it  is 
Too  green;  't  will  breed  a  deadly  cholic  in 
The  belly  of  the  State.     The  renegades 
Come  running  here  so  fast,  the  wafer  still 
Sticks  in  their  throats. 

Second  Bystander.     They  promise  us 
New  Freedom! 

First  Bystander.     Bah !     We  were  free  to  go 
To  mass:  now  we  are  forc'd  to  go  to  sermon, 
Or  pay  three  sous.1     We  sit  and  hear  ourselves 

83 


Ube  IReformer 

Berated  in  long  prayers,  and  have  our  nerves 
Fil'd  into  shreds  with  donkey-braying  psalms.2 

\_Gives  a  nasal  imitation. 
Second  Bystander.     Hush!  hush!  you  will  be  fin'd  or 

jail'd  for  this. 

CALVIN,  with  a  tome  under  his  arm,  passes  gravely  along, 
followed  by  CLAUDE  and  GUEROULT,  hooting  at  him 
until  he  disappears : 
Dog!     Tyrant!     Pope   Calvin!     To  the  Rhone  with 

him! 

\_The  group  approach  CLAUDE  and  GUEROULT. 
First  Bystander.     Ho !     What  now  ? 
Gueroult.  Vengeance ! 

Claude.     'T  was  but  a  cruel  murder. 
Second  Bystander.  Where  ?     When  ? 

Claude.     Have  ye  not  heard  the  news, — the  heretic 
That  has  been  foully  burned  alive  at  Champel  ? 3 

First  Bystander.     Pooh!  that 's  not  new,  but  common: 

anyone 
Must  burn  that  will  not  keep  a  canting  tongue. 

Second  Bystander.     Was  he  a  Catholic  or  Protestant  ? 
Claude.     Neither.     He  said  that   both   were    wrong, 

and  he 
Had  come  to  set  them  right. 

Second  Bystander.  And  which  was  right  ? 

Claude.     Well,  they  both  burn'd  him  and  that  settl'd  it. 
Second  Bystander.     But  which  was  right  ? 
Claude.     (To  GUEROULT.)     Say  which  was  orthodox. 
Gueroult.     The    Lord  only  knows.     These  reverend 

doctors  have 

As  many  orthodoxies  as  bald  pates. 
They  reason  with  a  heretic  before 
They  roast  him,  as  a  cat  plays  with  a  mouse, — 
To  give  him  seeming  chances  for  his  life; 

84 


of  Geneva* 

And  in  their  Latin  billingsgate  will  call 

Each  other  canis,  mendax,  nebula, 

As  glibly  as  we  say  "  dog,"  "  liar,"  "  rascal." 

But  when  the  word-fight  has  its  gala-day, 

And  book  and  heretic  must  blaze  together — 

Mark  you!  the  noble  syndics  understand 

Neither  the  book  nor  who  's  the  heretic. 

This  time  they  flay'd  a  simple  wand'ring  scholar. 

Second  Bystander.     Did  he  die  game  ? 

Gueroult,      I  hear,  like  any  other  holy  martyr. 

[Enter  BERTHELIER.]     Lord  Berthelier, 
Some  listeners  as  to  the  late  martyrdom. 

First  Bystander.     Come  and  let  us  hear  this  fine  gentle 
man. 

[  They  gather  around  him. 

Berthelier.     O  never  did  the  sun  on  such  a  sight 
Look  down,  eclips'd  at  noon  with  smoke  and  glare, 
Sent  up  as  from  the  flaming  mouth  of  hell 
Into  the  face  of  heaven.      'T  would  make  you  grind 
Your  teeth  and  weep  with  rage,  were  I  to  paint 
The  human  devils  in  that  scene.4 

Gueroult.  Death  to  'em! 

Berthelier.     But  not  of  them  I  speak,  to  waste  your 

tears ; — 

Only  of  that  poor  victim  of  their  hate. 
'T  was  pitiful  to  see  him  chain' d  and  bound, 
The  green  wood  stack 'd  about  his  trembling  limbs; 
A  sulphurous  wreath  of  oak-leaves  on  his  head, 
And  at  his  girdle  tied  the  foolish  books 
They  call'd  heretical. 

Claude.  Shame !     Shame ! 

Gueroult.  Revenge ! 

Berthelier.     Then   came   the    murderous    torch  —  the 
blazing  chaplet — 

85 


Ube  IReformer 

The  crackling  fagots  and  the  lurid  flames, 
Stifling  his  piteous  prayers. 

Bystanders.  Horrible ! 

Berthelier.     Alas!  no  priestly  hand  with  crucifix 
Before  his  dying  eye — but  all  the  while 
The  mocking  preachments  [FAREL  appears]  of  yon  cant 
ing  zealot! 
All.     Farel!   Farel!     To   the  Rhone  with  him!     To 

the  Rhone! 
[As  they  rush  toward  FAREL,  an  arquebus  is  fired  off  by 

GUEROULT,  exploding  at  the  trigger. 
Farel.     {Snapping  his  fingers  at  them. ) 
Cowards!     Would  ye  kill  the  servants  of  the  Most  High  ? 
[At  the  same  moment  he  is  surrounded  by  the  Ministers, 

led  by  LA  FONTAINE  with  drawn  sword* 
La  Fontaine.     Back!     By  the  armed  majesty  of  law! 
[Following   LA   FONTAINE,  enter   the  armed  Refugees 
forming  a  guard  around  FAREL  and  the  Ministers, 
while  D'ARLOD  and  the  SENATORS^TW^  themselves 
near  the  steps  of  the  Town- Hall.      On  the  other  side 
where   the  other  group  have   retreated,   Francesca 
rushes  in  and  out  excitedly. 
Francesca.     The  French!  the  French!  they  're  going 

to  sack  the  city! 
To  arms!  to  arms! 

Berthelier.      (Rushing    out    with    FRANCESCA.)      To 
arms!  good  citizens! 


[Enter  IDELETTE  to  LA  FONTAINE. 

Idelette.     Our  Master  comes!  I  've  read  it  in  his  face! 

La  Fontaine.     Not  now!  not  here!    into  the  jaws  of 

death ! 
Go,  save  thyself  and  him! 

86 


of  <Benex>a. 

Far  el.  Bid  him  not  come! 

Idelette.     He  would  not  heed  me,  but  mov'd  sternly  on, 
Smiling  as  with  a  dying  benediction. 
He  comes  with  such  a  look  as  martyrs  wear. 

La  Fontaine.     Alas !  back  to  thy  prayers ! 

Idelette.     {Appealing  to  Heaven. )     Oh,  save  him !  save 

him! 
And  save  Geneva!  [Exit. 


[The  Great  Bell  is  pealing  rapidly.  Re-enter  BERTHE- 
LIER,  with  PERRIN,  VANDEL,  and  the  band  of  Con 
spirators,  wearing  white  crosses  and  shouting 
"Liberty!  Liberty!" 

Vandel.     (While  forming  the  ranks  behind  PERRIN.) 
Down  with  La  Fontaine,  Farel,  Calvin,  all! 
Kill  every  French  rascal  that  shows  his  head! 

Perrin.     (Seizing  from  D'ARLOD  the  SYNDIC'S  baton 

and  waving  it  before  the  rioters*) 
The  baton  must  not  pass  to  alien  hands! 
We  rescue  it  from  those  not  fit  to  bear  it, 
And  hold  it  as  our  pledge  of  victory. 
Forward!  for  the  honor  of  Geneva! 

La  Fontaine.     Stand  in  defence  of  Christ  and  of  His 

Church! 

\_Swords  are  drawn  on  both  sides. 

[CALVIN  now  appears  in  the  background  with  folded  arms 
amid  cries  of  ' '  Kill  him !  "  ' '  Death  to  him !  ' '  from 
the  Conspirators.  Looking  them  fixedly  in  the  face, 
and  advancing  between  the  ranks,  he  stoops  upon  one 
knee,  throws  open  his  mantle,  and  bares  his  breast. 
Calvin.  If  ye  want  blood,  here  are  some  drops  to 

shed. 

Before  heaven  I  come  to  offer  up  myself 

87 


ZTbe  IReformer 

A  sacrifice.     Ye  will  not  strike  ?     Then  hear  me! 

[Rising  he  goes  to  the  Town- Hall  steps.  ~\ 
Ye  children  of  Geneva!  and  ye  sons  of  France! 
Let  reason  stay  awhile  your  swords  in  truce, 
If  so  ye  yet  may  sheathe  them  without  blood. 

\_The  swords  are  lowered^ 
Twice  have  ye  called  me  to  your  city,  still 
So  beautiful  in  hope,  so  rich  in  memory, — 
But  why  so  rent  with  feud  and  stain 'd  with  sin  ? 
Am  I  become  the  enemy  of  your  peace  ? 
Speak  but  the  word,  I  go  at  once,  and  leave 
In  other  hands  the  reins  ye  put  in  mine. 

[Pointing  first  to  Conspirators,  and  then  to  Refugees^ 
Behold  on  that  side  Treason,  License,  Crime, 
And  bloody  Anarchy;  on  this  behold 
Religion,  Virtue,  Liberty,  and  Law; 
And  let  your  Senate  choose  between. 

[CALVIN  takes  D'ARLOD'S  arm  and  is  followed  by  the 
SENATORS  into  the  Town- Hall,  while  the  combatants 
on  both  sides  sheathe  their  swords,  the  Conspirators 
sullenly  retiring,  and  the  Refugees  embracing  one 
another  for  ioyJ1 


SCENE  II. 
Before  the  Gothic  Doorway  of  the  Cathedral. 

[Enter  BERNARD  and  POUPIN,  approaching  the  Church 
door. 

Bernard.     Now  Korah,  Dathan,  and  Abiram  shall 
Be  swallowed  up  with  all  their  rebel  crew. 
The  judgment  of  the  Senate  will  be  swift 
To  my  lords  Perrin,  Berthelier,  and  Vandel! 


of  Geneva. 

Poupin.     Ay,   for   their   sins   this   people   long   have 
suffer 'd, 

As  Israel  danc'd  even  at  the  foot  of  Sinai, 
They  have  been  steep'd  in  godless  revelry. 
But  lo!  our  Moses,  shining  from  the  Mount, 
Renews  the  broken  tables  of  the  Law. 

[Entering  the  Church .] 

'T  is  well  to  give  ourselves  to  prayer  and  praise— 
And  then  go  we  to  the  Consistory. 

\_At  the  same  time  CALVIN  enters  pensively  and  follows 
them  into  the  Cathedral,  a  Choir  of  children  inside 
singing.* 
Choir.     Hail!     My  Redeemer!     Sacrifice 

For  all  my  guilt  and  pain  and  woe! 
What  thanks,  what  praises  will  suffice, 

When  to  Thine  altar  I  shall  go  ? 
Ah!  nothing  thither  can  I  bring, 

To  tell  of  what  to  me  Thou  art ; 
No  other  gift  or  offering 

Than  this  poor  flaming,  melting  heart. 


\Enter  two  CITIZENS,  meeting. 

First  Citizen.     Whither  so  fast,  good  friend  ? 

Second  Citizen.     (Hurrying  by.}     To  the  Town-Hall. 

First  Citizen.     Come  back,  and  save  your  steps. 

Second  Citizen.     (Returning.)     Can  I,  in  sooth  ? 
What  has  been  done  with  the  conspirators  ? 

First  Citizen.     Oh,  a  quick  end  was  made  of  them! 

Gueroult 

And  Claude,  even  where  they  stood  resisting  law, 
Were  slain  with  their  own  butcher  swords, 
And  their  white  crosses  made  all  red  with  blood. 
Vandel  is  to  be  hang'd  and  drawn  and  quarter'd. 

89 


ZTbe  IReformer 

Second  Citizen.     And  my  lord  Berthelier 

First  Citizen.  Will  lose  his  head ; 

Yet  out  of  feeling  to  his  patriot  sire 
Is  to  have  decent  burial  by  his  side. 

Second  Citizen.      And   what    of    our    poor    Captain- 
general  ? 

First  Citizen.     Ah!    there  the  Senate  paus'd  awhile. 

He  had 

Been  Calvin's  friend,  and  after  his  first  fall 
Calvin  had  plead  for  him  and  even  to 
The  Holy  Sacrament  had  welcom'd  him. 
So  much  weak  treach'ry  could  no  more  be  trusted. 
He  is  to  have  an  honorable  death. 
But  his  right  hand,  cut  off  and  clasp'd  around 
The  syndic's  baton,  which  he  wav'd  when  he 
Led  on  the  rioters,  is  to  be  nail'd 
Above  his  empty  senate-chair,  a  warning 
To  all  such  traitors.9 

Second  Citizen.  When  will  all  this  be  ? 

First  Citizen.     That  's  not  yet  certain.     Both  of  them 

are  missing. 

Since  Madame  Perrin  fled  to  her  country-seat. 
I  think  they  're  also  there,  or  will  be  soon. 

\Exeunt  CITIZENS. 


[Enter  BERTHELIER  leading  PERRIN. 

Berthelier.     Quick!     This  way! 

Perrin.  Stay!     But  one  brief  look  across 

The  city  walls  at  yonder  river,  lake, 
And  mountain. 

Berthelier.         Tush!  we  '11  have  a  longer  look, 
And  safer,  when  outside  the  city  walls. 
And  Madame  Perrin  waits.     [Pulls  him  towards  the  exit. 

90 


of  Geneva. 

Perrin.  O  Francesca! 

The  play-house  Caesar  is  play'd  out!  [Exeunt. 


[Enter   LA    FONTAINE,    meeting    IDELETTE,    emerging 
from  the  Cathedral  door. 

Idelette.     A  happy  eve! 

La  Fontaine.  A  happier  morrow  morn ! 

All  heavenly  portents  come  like  wedding-guests 
To  greet  our  wedding-day. 

Idelette.  And  good  men's  prayers. 

[They  walk  to  and fro .] 
But  now,  I  knelt  where  first  I  plighted  faith 
With  love.     Thither  from  the  Consistory 
Our  Master  came;  and  after  grave  advice 
And  blessing,  his  worn  spiritual  face 
Grew  strangely  young  again.     He  had  divin'd 
Our  secret  from  the  first,  he  said;  and  spoke 
So  sweetly  of  thy  nobleness  and  truth. 
And  then,  I  know  not  why  it  was — as  if 
He  crav'd  some  sympathy,  he  pour'd  out  all 
His  own  strange  history;  presag'd  to  be 
A  life  of  sorrow  and  of  strife  even  when 
As  a  child  crucifier  he  bore  to  mass 
A  heavy  cross-hilt  ending  in  a  sword.10 
Tom  a  shy  student  from  his  books,  and  sent 
Against  his  will,  as  by  a  Higher  Will 
Which  yet  he  made  his  own,  he  found  himself 
In  scenes  of  violence  and  crime;  weigh'd  down 
With  mighty  tasks;  consum'd  with  cares  of  State 
And  Church  abroad ;  bereft  of  wife  and  child 
At  home;  fretted  alike  by  friends  and  foes; 
And  badgered  by  sland'rous  tongues.     And  so, 
Save  for  the  few  who  knew  that  glowing  heart, 

91 


ZTbe  IReformer 

He  cas'd  it  with  a  breastplate  wrought  of  steel, 

And  made  some  think  him  cruel  who  was  kind. 

Now  I  no  longer  fear  but  pity  him. 

How  must  his  wife  have  lov'd  him!     Oftentimes 

We  women  worship  a  stern  power  in  men 

That  makes  more  strange  and  sweet  their  tenderness, 

Like  flow'rets  hid  beneath  the  Alpine  crags. 


SCENE  III. 

Interior  of  the  Cathedral  of  St.  Peter.  Trumpets  outside 
and  joy-bells  from  the  church  tower.  Enter  the  CITY 
HERALD,  Ushers,  Civic  officers,  Nobles,  and  Dames, 
CITIZENS,  Burghers,  Peasants,  Artisans.  To  a  dais, 
D'ARLOD  with  the  Senate  on  one  side,  and  on  the  other 
CALVIN  with  the  Consistory. 

D'  Arlod.      Since    Treason,    License,    Anarchy,    and 

Crime 

Are  slain,  or  fled  beyond  the  city  gates, 
Religion,  Virtue,  Liberty,  and  Law 
Have  come  to  grace  this  glad  and  solemn  day. 
'T  is  meet  to  welcome  them  with  so  much  joy. 
Give  them  our  homage  and  sworn  fealty, 
As  our  Lord  Secretary  reads  the  oath. 

[The  STATE  SECRETARY  reads,  all  standing. ~\ 
"  We  Syndics,  Senators,  Pastors,  Doctors, 
"  Nobles,  and  commons  of  all  sorts,  assembl'd 
"  At  sound  of  trumpet  and  the  great  church  bell, 
"  And  with  our  hands  uplift  to  the  Most  High,  [all  hands 

lifted] 

"  Do  swear  allegiance  to  the  Church  Reformed, 

92 


ot  Genera. 

"  In  name  of  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 

[A  Gloria  is  sung  by  the  Choir  of  Children  in  the  bridal 
train  of  IDELETTE  and  LA  FONTAINE. 

D'Arlod.      So    "AFTER   DARKNESS   LIGHT."       Be   it 
perpetual. 

Calvin.     Behold  the  victory  of  Christ!     He  rides 
As  in  a  flaming  chariot  on  the  winds, 
And  tramples  down  all  Error,  Vice,  and  Sin ! 
The  spiritual  conqueror  of  the  world! 
Crown  him,  ye  poets,  with  the  laurel- wreath ; 
And  let  the  generations  yet  to  come 
Sing  lo  Pcean  to  the  King  of  kings!  u 

Farel.     Behold  also  God's  chosen  instrument, 
Our  Moses  leading  through  the  wilderness, 
And  the  law-giver  of  our  Israel! 

Calvin.     Mingle  no  praise  of  man  with  this  high  work 
Of  God.     Remember,  Israel's  law-giver, 
Because  he  smote  the  rock  of  Meriba 
In  sinful  anger,  could  not  enter  Canaan, 
But  only  viewed  it  from  far  Pisgah's  top 
And  died  unhonor'd  with  a  sepulchre. 
So  have  ye  seen  like  vehemence  untam'd19 
In  him  ye  call  the  leader  of  your  cause. 
For  this  he  craves  forgiveness  of  you  all, 
In  sight  of  God,  of  angels,  and  of  men. 
Millions  for  this  may  call  him  tyrant,  who 
Shall  owe  to  him  their  liberty ;  and  though 
All  Christian  lands  should  be  his  monument, 
Let  no  man  know  his  grave.13 

The  glory  is 

Not  ours. — We  are  but  shadows  that  o'ercloud  it — 
This  living  scene,  and  all  that  it  portends, 
The  earth  and  sky  around  us,  with  the  pomps 

93 


Ube  Reformer 

Of  rising  morn  and  sinking  eve, — the  heavens 
Above  us,  with  their  shining  ranks  o'er  ranks 
Of  angel  and  archangel, — and  afar 
The  dazzling  throne  of  godhead — all  are  but 
The  pageantry  of  one  Eternal  Mind, 
Upheld  and  mov'd  by  one  Eternal  Will — 
The  glory  give  to  One  alone  ! 

{Overcome  by  the  vision  he  sinks  down  as  in  a  swoon. 
FAREL  supports  his  head,  while  the  SENATORS  and 
PASTORS  gather  around  him. 

Tissot.      Stand  back  !     More  light  !  more  light ! 

Far  el.  What  need  of  it  ? 

He  hath  such  light  as  this  world  knows  not  of. 
The  glory  of  the  Lord  hath  smitten  him — 
That  glory  which  no  man  can  see  and  live  ! 
And  now,  like  dying  Simeon,  he  departs 
In  happy  vision. 

D '  Arlod.  And  in  charity 

With  all  the  world.     Ev'n  as  he  sought  forgiveness, 
So  let  him  be  forgiven. 

[LA  FONTAINE  and  IDELETTE  approach  and  kneel  at 
his  feet. 

Idelette.  Who  can  tell 

But  that  his  spirit  lingers  near  us  still 
With  some  last  word  of  blessing  ? 

Calvin.    {Reviving  for  the  moment^}    Blessed  !  blessed  ! 
As  in  the  bridal  of  the  Church  with  her 
Own  Heavenly  Lord  !     (  With  hands  folded  as  in 
devotion,  he  dies.} 

La  Fontaine.  Open  !  ye  gates  of  heaven  ! 

And  ye  good  angels,  be  his  convoy  thither  ! 
To  waft  him  on  melodious  waves  of  air 
Beyond  our  sight. 

94 


of  Geneva* 

[Angelic  strains  are  heard  dying  away  in  the  distance. 
Farel.  So  dies  he  as  he  lived, 

Victorious  in  faith. 

END    OF    THE    DRAMA. 


95 


ERRATA. 

On  page  45,  for  "  more  "  read  "  mere  diabolic  zeal." 
On  page  53,  for  "  chaff  or  words  "  read  "  chaff  of  words." 
Pp.  93  and  94  have  been  revised  and  amended  by  the  Author, 
when  at  Geneva,  in  August,   1900. 


NOTES 

TO 

THE  REFORMER  OF  GENEVA. 


NOTES. 


THE  story  of  the  Reformation  in  Geneva  abounds  in  dramatic 
materials.  The  author  became  impressed  by  them  while  en 
gaged  in  a  purely  historical  investigation,  and  has  simply  recast  the 
results  of  his  studies  in  the  literary  form  here  presented.  He  is  not 
aware  that  any  similiar  attempt  has  been  made.  A  tragical  episode 
has  been  detached  and  travestied  in  German,  French,  and  Spanish  ; 
but  no  dramatic  rendering  of  the  whole  story,  with  due  regard  to  the 
chief  actor,  has  appeared  in  any  language.  It  is  possible  that  a  more 
historical  treatment  would  secure  artistic  completeness  as  well  as 
moral  instructiveness.  As  a  mere  dramatic  figure  Calvin  is  as  im 
pressive  as  Becket  or  Richelieu,  and  the  current  estimate  of  Servetus, 
as  well  as  of  Calvin,  may  be  favorably  modified  by  restoring  them  both 
to  their  original  environment  with  an  idealization  based  upon  fact  and 
probability.  These  notes,  therefore,  are  appended  in  order  to  verify 
the  strictly  historical  portions  of  the  drama. 

In  distinction  from  the  great  mass  of  controversial  histories,  two 
works  may  be  selected  as  the  most  accessible,  as  well  as  authoritative 
and  free  from  prejudice.  One  was  a  memoir  contributed  to  the  His 
torical  Society  of  Geneva  by  Rilliet  de  Candolle,  professor  in  the 
University,  who  had  access  to  public  archives  recently  discovered,  and 
narrated  the  trial  of  Servetus,  not  only  with  judicial  fairness  but  with 
seeming  disregard  of  theological  considerations.  The  other  was 
written  by  the  philosophical  historian  Guizot,  a  discriminating  critic, 
who  in  his  sketch  of  "  St.  Louis  and  Calvin,"  endeavored  to  harmo 
nize  all  that  is  best  in  Catholicism  and  Protestantism.  These  two 
writers  agree  substantially  in  regard  to  any  controverted  incidents 
that  appear  in  the  plot.  At  the  same  time,  by  dramatic  license,  the 
opinions  of  enemies  as  well  as  friends  of  the  Reformer  are  fully  ex 
pressed  in  the  dialogue,  often  in  their  own  language  ;  and  some 
expressions,  which  may  have  been  falsely  attributed  to  both  parties, 
are  not  withheld,  but  only  discussed  in  these  notes.  It  need  scarcely 
be  added  that  events  are  sometimes  grouped  or  blended  in  accordance 

97 


TEbe  IReformet 

with  the  limitations  of  dramatic  composition  ;  but  their  essential  sig 
nificance  is  not  changed. 

The  original  documents,  upon  which  the  work  of  Rilliet  is  based, 
are  included  in  the  Corpus  Reformatorunt,  Calvini  Opera,  Brunswick 
ed.,  vol.  viii.  They  have  been  carefully  studied  in  reference  to  every 
fact,  incident,  and  opinion. 

DRAMATIS  PERSONS. 

The  chief  characters  are  real  with  one  exception,  and  may  be 
found  more  or  less  clearly  delineated  by  contemporary  writers  and 
historians. 

AMI  PERRIN,  military  chief  of  the  republic,  was  the  popular  leader 
of  the  Patriots  or  native  Genevese  who  resisted  the  Reformer  as  a 
foreigner  and  innovator.  At  first,  from  political  motives,  in  the  con 
flict  for  independence  with  the  bishop-dukes  of  Savoy,  he  espoused 
the  Reformation,  and  had  even  advocated  the  recall  of  Calvin  from 
banishment ;  but  when  his  wife  and  father-in-law  were  condemned  by 
the  Consistory  for  serious  moral  delinquencies  his  rage  became  ex 
treme  ;  and  from  that  day  there  followed  a  war  of  extermination  in 
which  Calvin  was  conqueror  only  in  consequence  of  the  final  expul 
sion  of  Perrin  and  his  party.  Audin,  his  most  favorable  critic,  de 
scribes  him  as  "  a  man  of  noble  nature,  who  wore  the  sword  with  great 
grace,  dressed  in  good  taste,  and  conversed  with  much  facility  ;  but 
a  boaster  at  table  and  at  the  Council,  where  he  deafened  everyone 
with  his  loquacity,  his  fits  of  self-love  and  his  theatrical  airs.  For  the 
rest,  like  all  men  of  this  stamp,  he  had  an  excellent  heart,  was 
devoted  as  a  friend,  and  patriotic  to  an  extreme."  In  person,  he 
was  of  swarthy  complexion  and  martial  figure. 

PHILIBERT  BERTHELIER  was  associated  with  Perrin,  as  a  chief  of 
the  same  party,  but  with  somewhat  different  aims.  To  him  the  Ref 
ormation  was  an  exotic  puritanism.  "  As  a  son  of  one  of  the  martyrs 
to  the  political  freedom  of  Geneva,"  says  Rilliet,  "  his  social  position 
and  his  taste  for  pleasure  gave  him  the  highest  rank  among  the  inde 
pendent  and  dissipated  youth.  He  was  the  irwprincepsjuventutis; 
and  we  find  him  at  the  head  of  all  the  opposition  offered  to  the  aus 
tere  reforms  of  Calvin."  Gay,  astute,  cool,  and  impudent,  he  was  at 
this  time  smarting  under  a  sentence  of  excommunication  for  his  alleged 
immoralities. 

98 


of  Geneva. 

PIERRE  VANDEL,  of  the  same  party,  was  a  handsome,  brilliant,  and 
frivolous  cavalier,  who  loved  to  exhibit  himself  with  a  retinue  of 
valets  and  courtesans,  with  rings  on  his  fingers  and  golden  chains  on 
his  breast.  He  had  been  imprisoned  for  his  debaucheries  and  inso 
lent  conduct  before  the  Consistory. 

CLAUDE  DE  GENEVE,  the  jailer,  was  an  instrument  of  Perrin  ;  and 
WILLIAM  GUEROULT,  an  outlawed  libertine  of  the  worst  class,  who 
had  been  the  printer  and  proof  corrector  of  the  Christianismi  Resti- 
tutio,  the  heretical  book  of  Servetus, 

MICHAEL  SERVETUS,  a  Spaniard  of  Arragon,  physician,  geographer, 
astrologer,  litterateur,  philosopher,  had  become  known  as  a  fugitive 
heretic  in  Germany,  Italy,  and  France.  Historians  dwell  upon  his 
versatile  genius  and  moral  inconsistency,  as  relieved  by  the  sincerity 
of  an  enthusiast  or  the  insanity  of  a  fanatic,  as  well  as  by  pity  for  his 
tragical  fate  and  indignation  at  the  reigning  intolerance  to  which  he 
fell  a  victim.  "  Many  persons,"  says  D'Aubigne,  "  thought  that  his 
subtle  understanding,  his  brilliant  genius,  his  profound  knowledge  of 
natural  science,  would  make  him  one  of  the  most  surprising  and  in 
fluential  leaders  of  the  epoch."  He  cannot  be  reproached  with  any 
vices,  and  though  he  formed  no  school,  he  still  has  generous  defen 
ders.  He  is  described  as  sensitive,  imaginative,  acute,  of  fiery  and 
and  fitful  temper,  often  incoherent,  and  at  times  with  tongue  and  pen 
uncontrolled.  His  frame  was  slender  and  delicate,  his  complexion 
pale,  and  his  eyes  beaming  with  an  expression  of  melancholy  and 
fanaticism. 

JOHN  CALVIN,  of  Noyon  in  Picardy,  humanist,  writer,  scholar, 
lawyer,  divine,  churchman,  statesman,  was  establishing  the  Reformed 
faith  and  discipline  in  Geneva  at  a  time  when  it  was  noted  for  its 
unrestrained  licentiousness  and  a  turbulence  verging  upon  anarchy. 
Of  commanding  intellect  and  exalted  purity,  severely  just,  inflexible, 
and  fearless,  he  inspired  awe  rather  than  popular  enthusiasm.  His 
opponents  declared  that  wealth  and  pleasure  had  no  charms  for  him. 
Those  who  feared  him  most  could  easily  have  destroyed  him.  Several 
times  he  exposed  himself  to  their  swords.  The  city  once  banished 
him,  but  afterwards  recalled  him  in  triumph.  The  public  Registers 
speak  of  "  the  majesty  of  his  character."  A  patrician  by  education 
and  taste,  he  was  grave  and  courtly  in  manner,  and  though  a  keen 
polemic  and  sometimes  truculent  after  the  fashion  of  that  age,  yet  he 

99 


IRetormer 


was  affable  among  his  disciples  and  friends  and  at  fitting  times  kindly 
and  tender. 

"  Lofty  and  sour  to  them  that  lov'd  him  not, 
But  to  those  men  that  sought  him,  sweet  as  summer." 

In  appearance  he  was  of  medium  size,  attenuated  in  frame,  with 
dark  complexion,  pointed  black  beard,  chiselled  features,  large  fore 
head,  and  piercing  eyes  that  never  lost  their  lustre.  His  characteristic 
dress  was  a  broadcloth  robe  trimmed  with  fur  and  a  velvet  cap  of 
the  period. 

NICOLAS  DE  LA  FONTAINE,  his  secretary,  was  also  a  Frenchman, 
who  is  variously  termed  his  connection,  his  intimate  friend,  his  disci 
ple,  and  once  his  servitor,  but  in  no  menial  sense,  as  he  is  styled  by 
Calvin  himself  in  legal  documents  "  the  honorable  Nicolas  de  la  Fon 
taine."  In  historical  paintings  he  appears  with  a  young,  handsome 
face  and  intellectual  expression. 

GERMAIN  COLLADON,  a  French  emigre  of  distinguished  family  and 
an  able  jurisconsult,  represented  the  Calvinistic  exiles  in  their  con 
flict  with  the  Libertines  and  Patriots.  Bred  to  the  law,  he  aided  the 
Reformer  in  framing  the  theocratic  edicts,  becoming  a  legislator  of 
the  puritanical  type,  with  ideas  derived  from  the  Mosaic  code.  He 
is  depicted  with  a  stout  figure,  massive  head  and  features,  and  grave 
magisterial  aspect. 

WILLIAM  FAREL,  of  noble  origin  in  Dauphiny,  was  pastor  of 
Neufchatel,  and  a  devoted  friend  of  the  Reformer,  whom  he  had 
urged  to  undertake  the  Reformation  of  Geneva.  He  was  a  pop 
ular  leader,  eloquent,  passionate,  impetuous,  of  indomitable  cour 
age,  whether  he  harangued  evil-doers  from  the  pulpit  or  faced  an 
angry  mob  in  the  streets.  Though  uncouth  in  appearance,  he  had 
a  sonorous  voice  with  the  stentorian  tones  of  the  orator.  POUPIN 
and  BERNARD  were  Genevan  pastors  and  colleagues  of  CALVIN,  who 
were  of  inferior  ability. 

Du  PAN  led  the  Calvinists  in  the  Senate,  as  VANDEL  led  the  Per- 
rinists,  while  the  Syndic,  D'ARLOD,  presiding  in  the  absence  of  the 
chief  Syndic,  led  the  majority  as  actuated  by  political  rather  than 
religious  motives. 

FRANCESCA,  the  daughter  of  Fransois  Favre  and  wife  of  the  Cap 
tain-General  Perrin,  belonged  to  one  of  the  old  families  of  Geneva, 

100 


of  <Benev>a. 

whose  gay  and  dissolute  manners  were  in  conflict  with  the  ascetic 
discipline  of  the  Reformation.  The  Roman  Catholic  historian, 
Audin,  characterizes  her  "as  one  of  those  women  whom  our  own 
Corneille  would  have  taken  for  heroines  ;  excitable,  choleric,  fond  of 
pleasure,  enamored  of  dancing,  and  hating  Calvin  as  Luther  hated  a 
monk." 

IDELETTE  is  an  ideal  personification  of  the  spirit  of  reformed 
Geneva,  not  improbable  in  the  circumstances.  As  the  daughter  of 
Francesca,  affianced  to  La  Fontaine,  she  may  represent  the  blending 
of  the  old  and  new  regime.  The  same  name  was  borne  by  Calvin's 
wife,  Idelette  de  Bure,  who  had  died  several  years  before  the  time  of 
the  action. 

The  minor  personages  and  accessory  characters  are  such  as  appear 
in  the  histories  of  the  period.  Legal  usages  and  incidents  are  based 
upon  the  contemporary  treatise  of  Bonnivard  (De  Vancienne  et 
nouvelle  Police  de  Geneve}  as  explained  by  Rilliet. 


ACT  I. 

NOTE  i — Page  6. 

The  Consistory  was  an  ecclesiastical  court,  composed  of  the  five 
city  pastors  and  twelve  laymen,  with  a  Syndic  presiding.  It  had 
cognizance  only  of  moral  and  religious  offences,  but  under  the  Church- 
State  system  referred  them  in  some  cases  to  the  civic  court  or  Senate 
for  punishment  by  fine,  imprisonment,  banishment,  or  death,  accord 
ing  to  the  degree  of  the  offence. 

NOTE  2 — Page  6. 

The  costume  of  the  Genevese  at  this  time  had  become  excessively 
gay  and  grotesque,  and  the  sumptuary  laws  passed  at  the  instigation 
of  the  Consistory  were  trivial  and  irritating,  prescribing  in  detail  the 
dress  of  men  and  women.  For  example,  it  was  enacted  "  That  no 
man,  in  what  state,  qualitie  or  condition  soever  he  might  be,  dareth 
be  so  hardie  as  to  make,  or  cause  to  be  made,  or  to  wear  hosen  or 
doublettes  cut,  jagged,  embroydered,  or  lined  with  silk,  upon  payne 
to  forfeyte  sixty  sous."  Calvin  refers  to  the  "  slashed  breeches  as  a 

101 


ZTbe  IReformer 

mere  piece  of  foppery  not  worth  speaking  about,  had  it  not  been  a 
pretext  for  the  most  serious  disorders." 

The  entire  dialogue  between  Francesca,  Perrin,  and  Berthelier  is 
founded  upon  actual  incidents  as  exaggerated  by  the  opponents  and 
critics  of  the  Reformer.  "  I  do  not  condemn  amusements  as  such," 
said  he  ;  "  dances  and  cards  are  not  in  themselves  evil,  but  how  easily 
these  pleasures  succeed  in  making  slaves  of  those  who  are  addicted 
to  them  !  Wherever  wrong-doing  has  become  an  old-established 
custom  we  must  avoid  every  risk  of  falling  back  into  it."  In  like 
manner  he  opposed  the  licentious  stage  of  the  time,  though  favoring 
academic  and  moral  drama  under  a  censorship,  and  in  one  instance 
even  postponing  his  sermon,  that  the  people  might  attend  the  theatri 
cals.  Yielding  at  length  to  the  stricter  views  of  his  colleagues  the 
magistrates  refused  to  sanction  any  further  representations  "until 
the  time  was  more  favorable  for  them."  So  far  from  discountenanc 
ing  all  games  he  did  not  scruple  himself  to  play  the  Keys  with  the 
Seigneurs  of  Geneva,  a  game  somewhat  like  billiards,  which  con 
sisted  in  pushing  the  keys  as  near  as  possible  to  the  edge  of  the  table. 

NOTE  3 — Page  7. 

In  his  conversation  and  correspondence  Calvin  veiled  his  allusions 
to  Madame  Perrin  under  fictitious  names  characteristic  of  her  im 
proprieties,  such  as  Penthesilea,  the  queen  of  the  Amazons,  who  led 
the  Trojans  in  battle  against  the  Greeks  ;  prodigiosa  furia,  a  pro 
digious  fury,  and  Bacchante  or  Venus  dansante.  In  like  manner  he 
called  the  Captain-General  Ccesar  comicus  or  Ccesar  tragicus,  in  refer 
ence  to  his  love  of  authority  and  theatrical  effect,  as  he  posed  in  a 
sportive  or  serious  humor  before  the  public. 

NOTE  4 — Page  8. 

"  In  consequence  of  bacchanalian  conduct,  Madame  Perrin  was 
imprisoned  for  several  days,  and  from  that  time  the  cordial  friend 
ship  which  had  united  her  husband  to  the  Reformer  was  replaced  by 
implacable  hatred." — Guizot. 

NOTE  5 — Page  8. 

The  power  of  the  Keys,  or  ecclesiastical  right  of  excommunication, 
which  had  been  exercised  by  the  ducal  bishop,  was  now  claimed  by 
his  successor,  the  civic  magistrate,  and  became  the  crucial  point  upon 
which  the  whole  Reformation  turned  in  Geneva. 


of  Geneva, 

NOTE  6 — Page  9. 

"  Ami  Perrin  proposed  to  take  all  arms  from  the  French  refugees, 
except  their  swords,  which  they  were  no  longer  to  be  allowed  to  wear 
in  public.  Some  days  later  he  went  a  step  further,  and  demanded 
that  the  refugees  should  also  be  deprived  of  their  swords." — Guizot. 

NOTE  7 — Page  9. 

4 '  It  is  necessary  to  describe  the  position  which  Perrin  and  his  ad 
herents  mentioned  under  the  name  of  Libertines,  held  in  Geneva, 
because  their  hostility  to  the  Reformer,  enabling  Servetus  to  meet 
such  powerful  allies  at  the  side  of  his  redoubtable  opponent,  proba 
bly  drew  him  to  Geneva,  and  turned  his  trial  into  an  episode  in  the 
struggle  which  distracted  the  republican  city." — Rilliet. 

"  When  Servetus  entered  Geneva,  the  Libertines  had  some  reason 
to  expect  that  they  might  triumph  ;  one  of  their  leaders,  Ami  Perrin, 
was  first  Syndic  : — a  man  of  their  party,  Gueroult,  who  had  been  ban 
ished  from  Geneva,  had  been  corrector  of  the  press  at  the  time  when 
the  Restoration  of  Christianity  was  published,  and  thanks  to  the 
influence  of  his  patrons  the  Libertines,  he  had  returned  to  Geneva, 
and  would  naturally  be  the  medium  between  them  and  Servetus. 
Taking  a  comprehensive  view  of  the  whole  case  and  the  antecedents 
of  all  those  concerned  in  it,  I  am  convinced  that  Servetus,  defeated 
at  Vienne,  went  to  Geneva,  relying  on  the  support  of  the  Libertines, 
whilst  they  on  their  side  expected  to  obtain  efficacious  help  from  him 
against  Calvin." — Guizot.  See  also  Plainte  contre  Servet  and  the 
evidence  at  the  trial. 

Michelet,  describing  himself  as  a  partisan  of  Servetus,  declares : 
"Servetus  counted  on  the  victory  of  the  Libertines,  and  it  was  for 
this  that  he  prolonged  in  Geneva  the  sojourn  which  caused  his  de 
struction." 

NOTE  8 — Page  10. 

There  were  several  types  or  degrees  of  Libertinism  in  the  city. 
The  political  Libertines  (enfans  de  Geneve)  were  advocates  of  civil 
freedom,  who  had  formerly  espoused  the  Reformation,  but  now  re 
sisted  it  as  a  foreign  intrusion  because  it  sought  to  abolish  the  claim 
of  the  Senate  to  the  right  of  absolution,  and  thus  interfered  with 
that  impunity  in  vice  which  many  hoped  to  secure.  The  intellectual 
Libertines  (here'tigues)  might  be  claimed  as  advocates  of  free 
thought,  had  they  not  themselves  maintained  the  right  of  the  State 

103 


Ube  IReformer 

to  persecute,  and  only  denied  it  when  they  became  its  victims  by 
their  own  seditious  actions.  The  spiritual  Libertines  (spiritucls) 
would  now  be  classed  as  advocates  of  free  love,  who  under  pretense 
of  spiritual  affinities  and  with  a  blasphemous  abuse  of  Scripture 
language  practiced  an  adulterous  commerce  of  the  sexes.  "  Their 
tenets"  says  Guizot,  "were  soon  made  known  at  Geneva,  where 
they  obtained  prompt  recognition  from  the  local  and  practical  Liber 
tines."  These  last,  the  practical  Libertines,  were  the  worst  class, 
who  had  turned  the  freedom  of  the  Reformation  into  licentiousness, 
even  choosing  a  regina  meretricium  and  parading  the  streets  with 
midnight  masquerades,  indecent  songs,  and  bacchanalian  orgies. 
The  different  forms  of  Libertinism  shaded  into  one  another,  and  all 
its  factions  at  length  conspired  with  Servetus  against  Calvin. 

NOTE  Q — Page  u. 

The  Corinthian  portico  which  now  forms  the  front  of  the  ancient 
Gothic  edifice  of  St.  Peter  was  not  erected  until  the  eighteenth  cen 
tury,  more  than  a  hundred  years  after  the  Reformation,  when  the 
influence  of  Calvin  had  waned  before  that  of  Rousseau  and  Voltaire. 

NOTE  ID— Page  u. 

A  simile  often  used  by  Servetus  in  his  controversial  letters  and 
writings. 

NOTE  ii — Page  12. 

"  According  to  his  own  declaration  Servetus  kept  himself  care 
fully  concealed,  that  he  might  not  be  recognized,  waiting  an  oppor 
tunity  to  procure  a  boat  to  Zurich  and  thence  to  reach  the  Kingdom 
of  Naples.  But  notwithstanding  this  assertion,  it  is  probable  that 
in  the  inn  where  he  preserved  his  incognito,  he  was  not  without  some 
communication  with  his  allies  in  the  city.  If  we  may  believe  a  con 
temporary  narrative,  he  had  taken  a  fancy  to  be  present  at  a  sermon 
preached  in  one  of  the  churches,  and  it  was  there  he  was  dis 
covered  . ' ' — Rilliet. 

NOTE  12 — Page  15. 

"  He  said  he  wanted  a  boat  across  the  lake,  so  that  he  might  go  on 
to  Zurich.  He  did  not  cross  the  lake,  but  stayed  for  twenty-seven 
days  at  Geneva,  greatly  exciting  the  curiosity  of  his  host,  who  asked 
him  one  day  if  he  was  married.  '  No,'  said  he,  '  there  are  plenty  of 
women  in  the  world  without  marrying.'  " — Guizot. 

104 


of  <3ene\>a. 

NOTE  13 — Page  15. 

Among  the  manuscripts  of  the  Reformer  in  the  Library  of  Geneva 
is  a  folio  entitled :  Letters  par  Divers  Rois,  Princes,  Seigneurs,  et 
Dames  pour  le  Consulter  sur  les  cas  de  Conscience  Epineaux,  ou  pour 
le  Remercier  de  ses  Ouvrages. 

The  examples  here  taken  from  his  correspondence  bear  upon  the 
time  and  issue  of  the  action. 

NOTE  14 — Page  15. 

"  I  do  not  hesitate  to  affirm,  that  the  great  Catholic  bishops  who 
in  the  seventeenth  century  directed  the  conscience  of  the  mightiest 
men  in  France  did  not  fulfil  this  difficult  task  with  more  Christian 
firmness,  intelligent  justice,  fine  knowledge  of  the  world,  than  Cal 
vin  displayed  in  his  intercourse  with  the  Duchess  of  Ferrara." — 
Guizot. 

"  How  was  it,"  asks  Renan,  "  that  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
women  of  her  time,  Rene  of  France,  in  her  court  at  Ferrara,  sur 
rounded  by  the  flower  of  European  wits,  was  captivated  by  that 
stern  master,  and  by  him  drawn  into  a  course  that  must  have  been 
so  thickly  strewn  with  thorns.  This  kind  of  austere  seduction  is  ex 
ercised  by  those  only  who  work  with  real  conviction." 

NOTE  15 — Page  16. 

The  sect  of  Libertines  prevailed  not  only  in  Geneva,  but  among 
the  higher  classes  of  France  and  even  at  the  court  of  Queen  Mar 
guerite  of  Navarre,  who  countenanced  them  without  adopting  their 
practices. 

NOTE  16— Page  17. 

"  O  Philip  Melancthon  !  ....  A  hundred  times,  when  worn  out 
with  labors  and  oppressed  with  so  many  troubles,  didst  thou 
repose  thy  head  familiarly  on  my  breast  and  say,  '  Would  that 
I  could  die  on  this  bosom.'  " — Calvin  in  An  Apostrophe  to 
Melancthon. 

"  I  give  thanks  to  the  Son  of  God,  who  was  the  'S>paftEvrr)<^  [the 
awarder  of  your  crown  of  victory]  in  this  your  combat." — Melanc 
thon  in  a  Letter  to  Calvin. 

NOTE  17— Page  18. 

"  He  offers  to  come  hither,  if  it  be  agreeable  to  me.  But  I  am 
unwilling  to  pledge  my  word  for  his  safety  ;  for  if  he  does  come  and 

105 


Ube  IRetormer 

my  authority  be  of  any  avail,  I  shall  never  suffer  him  to  depart 
alive." 

This  sentiment  occurs  in  a  private  letter  to  Farel  or  Viret,  which 
was  attributed  to  the  Reformer  long  after  his  death.  If  genuine,  it 
was  a  well-meant,  salutary  threat  which  for  seven  years  had  prevented 
the  tragedy  at  length  precipitated  by  the  victim  himself. 

On  the  same  day,  when  this  alleged  letter  was  written,  he  wrote  to 
the  publisher,  Frellen,  their  common  friend,  that  he  despaired  of 
doing  Servetus  any  good  by  discussion,  unless  God  should  change  his 
heart.  "  But,"  he  adds,  "  we  too  ought  to  lend  a  helping  hand.  If 
God  give  such  grace  to  him  and  to  us  that  the  present  answer  will 
turn  to  his  profit,  I  shall  have  cause  to  rejoice." 

NOTE  18 — Page  19. 

"  In  a  case  demanding  corporal  punishment,  if  a  party  pursue,  the 
said  party  pursuing  must  become  a  prisoner  himself  and  subject  him 
self  ad pcenam  talionis,  etc.,  according  to  the  text  of  our  franchises." 
— Ordonnances  of  1529. 

The  Lex  Talionis  was  based  upon  the  Mosaic  code  in  Exodus 
xxi.,  24,  as  well  as  in  Leviticus  xxiv.,  20,  and  also  in  the  civil  codes 
of  Southern  Europe. 

"  It  was  necessary  that  there  should  be  a  formal  accusation  and 
prosecutor  who  consented  to  submit  to  imprisonment  and  to  hold 
himself  criminally  responsible  for  the  truth  of  the  charge.  Nicolas 
de  la  Fontaine,  a  French  refugee,  his  secretary  and  intimate  friend, 
consented  to  take  the  painful  office." — Guizot. 

NOTE  19 — Page  20. 

The  seal  of  the  Reformer  bore  this  emblem,  with  the  motto  "  Cor 
meum  Domino  in  sacrificium  offero."  In  several  emergencies  he 
alludes  to  its  significance. — See  pp.  20,  35,  87,  89. 

When  reproached  with  childlessness  by  the  calumniator  Baldwin, 
the  Reformer  replied:  "God  gave  me  a  little  son  (filiolum),  and 
took  him  away ;  but  I  have  myriads  of  spiritual  children  in  the 
whole  Christian  world." 

NOTE  20— Page  21. 

"  Good  God  !  to  what  tragedies  will  not  these  questions  give  occa 
sion  in  times  to  come." — A  sentiment  of  Melancthon,  writing  in 
reference  to  Servetus. 

106 


of  <3enex>a. 

ACT  II. 

NOTE  i — Page  25. 

"  In  spite  of  the  ecclesiastical  ordinances  a  grand  ball  had  been 
given,  accompanied  by  excesses  in  which  several  of  the  most  impor 
tant  families  in  the  city  took  part ;  among  others  that  of  the  Syndic 
Ami  Perrin,  who  had  at  one  time  been  one  of  Calvin's  adherents.  A 
memoir  still  exists  which  gives  a  detailed  account  of  these  extraor 
dinary  amusements,  and  from  this  terrible  record  it  appeared  that 
the  dances  then  performed  in  private  houses  would  not  be  tolerated 
at  the  present  day  in  the  height  of  the  most  disorderly  carnival." — 
Guizot. 

NOTE  2 — Page  25. 

"  It  was  his  delight  to  imitate  the  Reformer,  elongating  his  visage, 
winking  his  eyes,  and  assuming  the  air  of  an  anchorite  of  the  The- 
baid." — Audin. 

NOTE  3 — Page  27. 

All  these  incidents  are  historical,  and  at  the  time  were  more  seri 
ous  than  amusing.  Jacques  Gruet,  the  author  of  the  placard,  was 
beheaded  for  the  worst  crimes,  as  well  as  for  blasphemy. 

NOTE  4 — Page  31. 

Perrin,  his  wife,  and  her  father  had  incurred  the  censure  of  the 
Consistory  and  been  imprisoned  for  a  few  days  in  April,  1546,  in 
consequence  of  a  disgraceful  scene  of  debauchery  in  which  they  par 
ticipated.  Favre  refused  to  make  any  confession,  and  went  to  prison, 
shouting,  "  Liberty !  Liberty  !  "  Perrin  made  an  humble  apology  to 
the  Consistory. 

The  victim  of  the  amende  honorable  was  obliged  to  parade  through 
the  streets  in  his  shirt,  bare-headed,  with  a  lighted  torch  in  his  hand, 
and  to  ask  pardon  of  the  Senate  on  bended  knees. 

NOTE  5 — Page  34. 

"  The  Prisoner  of  Chillon,"  celebrated  in  verse  by  Byron  without 
full  knowledge  of  his  character,  was  Fran£ois  Bonnivard,  Prior  of 
St.  Victor,  the  heroic  defender  of  Geneva  against  the  Duke  of  Savoy. 
After  remaining  six  years  in  the  dungeon  of  the  Castle  of  Chillon, 
an  island  fortress  at  the  eastern  end  of  the  lake,  he  was  restored  to 

107 


ZTbe  IRetormer 

liberty  by  the  confederate  Bernese  forces  and  became  the  idol  and 
benefactor  of  the  city.  He  was  a  friend  of  Calvin  and  favorable  to 
the  Reformation,  although  in  one  instance  he  fell  under  censure  of 
the  Consistory  because  he  had  played  at  dice  for  a  quart  of  beer  with 
Clement  Marot,  the  Huguenot  poet. 

The  Reformer  mentions  in  one  of  his  letters  the  merriment  occa 
sioned  by  the  fourth  marriage  of  Bonnivard.  But  he  was  much 
chagrined  when  Farel  married  a  young  girl  after  having  lived  as  a 
bachelor  until  he  was  more  than  seventy  years  old. 

NOTE  6— Page  34. 

"  Spero  capitale  saltern  fore  judicium  ;  pcenae  vero  atrocitatem 
remitti  cupio." — Letter  of  Calvin,  Augtist  20,  /JJj. 

All  the  incidents  and  many  expressions  in  this  dialogue  are  taken 
from  the  Reformer's  correspondence,  and  may  be  found  in  the  biog 
raphies  of  Beza,  Henry,  D'Aubigne,  Guizot,  and  the  Brunswick  edi 
tion  of  his  Opera. 

"Shall  I  go  to  Geneva  in  order  to  be  better  off?  Shall  I  not 
rather  go  to  the  cross  ?  To  die  at  once  is  better  than  again  in  that 
place  of  torture  to  suffer  a  living  death." — Letter  to  Viret. 

"But  since  it  is  not  I  that  decide  this  case,  I  offer  my  bleeding 
keart  a  sacrifice  to  God." — Letter  to  Farel. 

' '  I  would  rather  die  than  allow  myself  to  be  nailed  again  to  that 
cross,  where  my  blood  would  flow  daily  from  a  thousand  wounds." — 
Letter  to  Frellen. 

"  I  protest  that  I  so  much  desire  the  welfare  of  the  Genevan 
Church,  I  am  ready  to  suffer  a  hundred  deaths  rather  than  by  aban 
doning  betray  them." — Letter  to  Farel. 

"You  see  that  insolent  heretic,  Jerome  Bolsec,  who,  though  often 
convicted,  has  never  yet  returned  to  reason  ;  the  clemency  of  the 
judges,  rather  than  equity,  diverting  them  from  their  duty,  has  not 
merely  injured  him,  but  very  many  more." — Reply  of  Farel. 

The  letter  of  Farel  makes  it  clear  that  he  preferred  the  death  pen 
alty  for  Servetus,  and  was  dissuading  Calvin  from  banishment  as 
mistaken  leniency  in  the  case  of  Bolsec.  Farel  afterwards,  before 
the  execution,  pleaded  for  a  milder  form  of  the  death  penalty,  and 
could  scarcely  have  here  advocated  the  atrocity  of  burning,  if  that 
be  at  any  time  conceivable  as  his  meaning. — See  Calvini  Opera, 
viii.,  254. 

108 


of  Geneva. 

NOTE  7 — Page  36. 

The  Reformer  concluded  his  correspondence  with  Servetus  in  these 
words :  "  Neither  now,  nor  at  any  future  time,  will  I  mix  myself  in 
any  way  with  your  wild  dreams.  Forgive  me  for  speaking  thus,  but 
truth  compels  me  to  do  so.  I  neither  hate  you,  nor  despise  you  ; 
I  do  not  wish  to  treat  you  harshly  ;  but  I  must  be  made  of  iron  if  I 
could  hear  you  rail  against  the  doctrine  of  salvation  and  not  be 
moved  by  it." — Guizot. 

"  Why  is  so  implacable  a  severity  exacted  but  that  we  may  know 
that  God  is  defrauded  of  his  Honor,  unless  the  piety  that  is  due  to 
Him  be  preferred  to  all  human  duties,  and  that  when  His  glory  is  to 
be  asserted,  humanity  must  be  almost  obliterated  from  our  memo 
ries." — From  the  Treatise  on  the  Right  to  Repress  Heresy  with  the 
Sword.  See  also  Letter  to  Zurkinda,  State  Secretary  of  Berne. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  Reformer,  in  the  spirit  of  that 
age,  was  actuated  by  high  religious  motives,  which  were  in  conflict 
with  his  humane  impulses.  It  was  only  after  his  enemies  were  hypo 
critically  making  a  saintly  martyr  of  the  unfortunate  victim,  that  he 
was  provoked  into  some  ungenerous  expressions  which  have  injured 
his  fame  more  than  anything  he  actually  did  or  said  during  the  trial. 

NOTE  8 — Page  37. 

In  his  letter  to  Cardinal  Sadolet.  when  banished  to  Strasburg,  he 
avowed  that  he  could  never  cease  to  love  as  his  own  soul  that  Geneva 
which  God  had  entrusted  to  him. 


ACT   III. 

NOTE  i — Page  41. 

41  Servet  en  prison  avait  six  anneaux  d'or  ;  une  grande  turquoise,  un 
saphir,  une  table  de  diamants,  rubis,  emeraude,  anneau  de  coralline 
a  cacheter,  une  chaine  d'or  de  seize  pouces,  deux  obligations  a  97 
ecus,  qui  representaient  aujourd  'hui  30,000  francs  de  notre  mon- 
naie." — Audin: 

NOTE  2 — Page  42. 

This  malediction  occurs  at  the  close  of  his  first  treatise  :  "  Perdat 
Dominus  omnes  ecclesiae  tyrannos." 

109 


Reformer 


NOTE  3—  Page  43. 

'  '  Perrin  being  restored,  the  malignity  of  the  wicked  rose  to  such  a 
height  that  some  of  them  openly  used  collars  cut  into  the  form  of  a 
cross  for  the  purpose  of  mutual  recognition."  —  Beza. 

NOTE  4  —  Page  43. 

"  Perrin  and  his  friends,  Peter  Vandel  and  Berthelier,  determined 
on  rule  or  ruin,  concocted  a  desperate  and  execrable  conspiracy  which 
at  length  proved  their  ruin.  They  proposed  to  kill  all  foreigners  who 
had  fled  to  Geneva  for  the  sake  of  religion,  together  with  their 
Genevese  sympathizers,  on  a  Sunday  while  people  were  at  church." 
—  Schaff. 

NOTE  5  —  Page  45. 

"  He  must  have  been  informed  of  events  transpiring  outside  of  his 
prison  by  some  powerful  friends.  The  jailer,  named  Claude  de 
Geneve,  a  member  of  the  Libertine  party  and  devoted  to  its  leaders, 
was  probably  the  medium  by  which  Perrin  and  Berthelier  availed 
themselves  (if  they  were  not  so  employed  in  person)  to  convey  to 
Servetus,  whether  for  his  sake  or  their  own,  directions  which  tended 
more  and  more  to  embarrass  their  common  enemy."  —  Rilliet. 

NOTE  6—  Page  45. 

It  was  one  of  his  fancies,  amounting  at  times  to  a  delusion,  that  he 
was  a  warrior  of  St.  Michael,  if  not  St.  Michael  himself,  in  the  bat 
tle  with  Antichrist,  which  was  represented  to  him  by  the  Reformers 
as  well  as  Catholics. 

NOTE  7  —  Page  47. 

"  The  year  1553,  and  on  Monday,  the  I4th  day  of  August,  pur 
suant  to  the  criminal  action  raised  at  the  instance  of  the  honorable 
Nicolas  de  la  Fontaine,  of  St.  Gervais  au  Vixen,  a  Frenchman,  an 
inhabitant  of  this  city,  against  M.  Servetus  of  Villeneuve,  in  the 
kingdom  of  Arragon,  in  Spain,"  etc.  —  Requete  de  N.  de  la  Fontaine. 

In  this  Act  the  evidence  and  the  argument  in  the  trial  are  pro 
duced  substantially  in  the  order  of  events,  together  with  the  reported 
sayings  of  the  various  actors,  who  figured  in  the  proceedings.  Some 
portions  of  the  text,  though  historically  essential  to  a  full  record,  may 
not  be  found  dramatically  important  in  any  recitation  or  representation. 

no 


of  Geneva* 

NOTE  8 — Page  47. 

'  The  public  indignation  was  great,  especially  in  Lyons  and  Ge 
neva,  the  former  the  centre  of  Catholicism,  and  the  latter  of  Protes 
tantism." — Guizot. 

NOTE  9 — Page  49. 

This  charge  is  still  repeated  by  some  modern  critics.  Calvin  him 
self  denied  it  most  emphatically.  It  is  explained  and  refuted  by 
Guizot. 

NOTE  10— Page  49. 

Heresy  was  supposed  to  involve  immorality  and  vice.  Servetus 
had  exposed  himself  to  such  charges  ;  but  declared  that  he  suffered 
from  a  hernia,  which  made  him  incompetent  for  libertinage. 

NOTE  ii — Page  49. 

"  It  was  manifest  from  the  explanations  by  the  publisher  [Ar- 
noulet],  and  the  part  acted  by  Gueroult  in  the  printing-house,  that 
the  latter  must  have  been  in  habitual  connection  with  the  author." 

"The  perseverance  of  Servetus  in  denying  that  fact  is  a  distinct 
proof  of  its  reality  ;  and  his  conduct  cannot  be  explained,  except  by 
the  fear  which  he  felt  lest  they  should  establish  between  his  connec 
tion  with  the  Genevese  corrector  and  his  own  subsequent  visit  to 
Geneva  an  agreement  which  might  disclose  the  motive  of  his  coming." 
—Rilliet. 

"  He  was  sincere  enough  in  his  adhesion  to  his  own  views,  but  on 
other  points  they  found  him  frivolous,  vain,  arrogant,  irresolute  and 
untruthful.  He  denied  any  connection,  even  the  most  indirect,  not 
only  with  the  Libertines  of  Geneva,  but  with  their  agent,  Gueroult, 
at  Geneva,  who  had  corrected  the  proofs  of  his  book." — Guizot. 

NOTE  12 — Page  50. 

"  The  interposition  of  Berthelier  in  favor  of  Servetus  is  established 
by  the  registers  of  the  Council.  Besides,  the  protection  held  out  by 
Berthelier  to  Servetus  is  notorious — two  contemporaries,  Roset  and 
Beza,  expressly  declared  it.  It  was  the  natural  result  of  their  com 
mon  hostility  to  the  Reformer,  and  we  have  here  the  first  indication 
of  the  support  given  to  the  prisoner  by  the  Libertine  party." — Rilliet. 

in 


IRetormer 


NOTE  13  —  Page  50. 

Ceasing  to  conceal  himself  behind  La  Fontaine  and  Colladon, 
Calvin  became  for  the  first  time  openly  the  accuser  of  the  prisoner  ; 
and  added  that  he  learned  by  the  process  that  Berthelier  had  inter 
fered  to  plead  in  excuse  and  defence  of  those  things  which  the  said 
Servetus  had  consented  to  name  as  established  by  his  book."  —  Rilliet. 

NOTE  14—  Page  51. 

"  Upon  the  request  of  Colladon,  the  Court  finding  by  the  proof 
and  facts,  produced  on  the  part  of  the  pursuer,  that  Servetus  clearly 
appeared  to  be  guilty,  resolved  immediately  to  liberate  De  la  Fon 
taine."  —  Rilliet. 

The  charges  upon  which  Servetus  was  actually  tried  and  at  length 
condemned  were  not  drawn  up  by  the  Reformer,  nor  by  Colladon, 
but  by  the  public  prosecutor,  Rigot,  on  behalf  of  the  city,  and 
referred  less  to  the  moral  offences  of  heresy  and  blasphemy  than  to 
the  strictly  political  crimes  of  sedition  and  conspiracy,  evidence  of 
which  accumulated  during  the  trial,  as  the  plot  of  the  Libertines 
was  brought  to  light.  See  Articles  du  Procureur-general.  Requisi- 
toire  du  Procureur-general. 

NOTE  15  —  Page  51. 

Calvin  and  his  colleagues  were  now  retained  as  experts  rather  than 
as  parties  in  the  case,  dogmatic  questions  being  naturally  beyond  the 
competence  of  the  civic  court  :  "  Ces  matieres  n'  etant  naturellement 
pas  de  la  competence  des  members  ordinaires  du  tribunal." 
NOTE  16  —  Page  52. 

Two  points  were  very  well  taken  and  defended  by  Servetus.  He 
prayed  first  that  he  might  be  freed  from  a  criminal  charge  ;  and 
second,  that  if  not  thus  liberated,  being  a  foreigner,  he  might  have 
the  aid  of  an  advocate  who  knew  the  laws  and  procedure  of  the 
country.  In  support  of  the  former  request  he  urged  that  the  primi 
tive  Church  did  not  treat  heresy  as  a  criminal  offence  before  a  civil 
tribunal,  nor  impose  any  worse  penalty  than  banishment  upon  a 
heretic  who  would  not  repent.  The  whole  petition,  in  the  light  of 
our  times,  seems  moderate  and  reasonable,  and  exceedingly  well  put 
against  a  charge  of  heresy  as  distinguished  from  one  of  mere  sedition. 

NOTE  17  —  Page  52. 

Servetus  attacked  Calvin  still  more  keenly  as  instigator  of  the  pros 
ecution  at  Vienne,  emboldened  by  the  presence  of  Berthelier  and  Van- 

112 


ot  Geneva. 

del  who  shared  the  same  hostile  feeling.  He  also  offered  to  show  in 
a  public  discussion  with  Calvin,  by  proofs  from  reason  and  Holy 
Scripture,  that  his  opinions  were  not  injurious  to  the  Church  of 
Geneva,  nor  contrary  to  sound  doctrine.  By  this  bold  manoeuvre  he 
might  have  gained  a  popular  following  and  turned  some  of  the  fac 
tions  against  his  adversary.  Calvin  promptly  accepted  the  challenge, 
declaring  that  there  was  "nothing  he  more  desired  than  to  plead 
such  a  cause  in  the  temple  before  all  the  people."  But  the  Syndics 
would  not  permit  the  debate,  some  being  jealous  of  their  judicial 
prerogative,  and  others  fearing  that  their  protege  might  be  worsted  in 
such  an  encounter. 

NOTE  1 8 — Page  53. 

Rilliet  tells  us  that  the  Attorney-General  had  become  convinced 
that  the  prisoner  was  already  self-condemned,  and  indignantly  denied 
his  request  for  an  advocate  as  inept  and  impertinent  ;  because  he 
knew  so  well  how  to  lie  that  no  procurator  could  help  him  in  his 
falsehoods  ;  because  there  was  not  a  jot  of  innocence  in  the  case  to 
require  an  attorney,  and  because  the  statutes  would  not  allow  such 
seducers  to  speak  by  counsel. 

NOTE  19 — Page  54. 

The  language  of  Bullinger,  one  of  the  most  temperate  of  the 
Reformers. 

NOTE  20— Page  54. 
A  sentiment  of  Bucer,  said  to  have  been  uttered  from  the  pulpit. 

NOTE  21 — Page  54. 

While  the  trial  was  passing  in  the  Bishop's  palace  the  greatest 
excitement  prevailed  in  the  city.  The  proceedings  were  watched 
with  keen  interest.  The  factions  were  taking  sides  for  and  against 
the  prisoner.  In  the  Great  Council  of  Two  Hundred,  a  popular 
assembly  then  largely  hostile  to  Calvin,  the  theatrical  Perrin  and  the 
fascinating  Berthelier  were  mustering  their  followers,  not  so  much 
in  sympathy  with  Servetus  and  his  opinions  as  with  the  design  of 
using  him  as  a  tool  in  crushing  the  Reformer  and  his  hated  discipline. 
On  the  other  hand,  Calvin  and  the  pastors  were  rallying  their  people 
in  defence  of  sound  doctrine  and  pure  discipline,  and  thundering 
from  the  pulpit  against  the  horrible  impieties  of  the  heretic  Spaniard 
as  well  as  his  seditious  connections  with  the  Libertine  party.  The 


TOe  IReformer 

whole  city  was  in  a  ferment  and  on  the  verge  of  a  revolution.  At 
length  the  conflict  found  expression  in  the  Council  itself.  Such 
scenes  of  disorder  were  not  unusual  at  this  time  even  in  the  Senate 
Chamber. 

NOTE  22 — Page  55. 

"  Mediant  homme,  vous  voulez  boire  le  sang  de  notre  famille,  mais 
vous  sortirez  de  Geneve  avant  nous." 

NOTE  23— Page  55. 

These  epithets  are  but  a  selection  from  others  preserved  in  the 
archives  of  the  trial,  such  as  nebulo,  Simon  Magus \  impostor,  sycho- 
fhanta,  perfidus,  impudens,  ridiculus  mus,  cacodtzmon,  homicida. 
In  his  last  written  argument  the  word  mentiris  (thou  liest)  occurs 
repeatedly  as  in  the  ravings  of  a  madman.  After  the  outburst  of 
passion  Calvin  made  no  further  replies.  Guizot  tells  us  that  the 
prisoner  disgusted  and  shocked  the  judges  by  his  brawling  invectives. 
The  charitable  judgment  now  would  be  that  he  was  more  insane  than 
culpable. 

NOTE  24 — Page  56. 

"Calvin  answered:  If  there  were  as  many  crowns  as  there  are 
empty  heads  in  your  family,  you  would  not  be  able  to  change  the  cur 
rent  of  ecclesiastical  discipline.  Your  efforts  to  shake  off  the  yoke 
of  the  Gospel  will  be  in  vain." — Guizot. 

NOTE  25— Page  57. 

"  It  is  our  duty  to  fight  so  much  the  more  valiantly  when  we  are 
under  the  eye  of  the  Great  Judge  of  combats,  who  dwelleth  in  the 
highest  heavens.  What !  that  holy  and  glorious  band  of  angels,  who 
promise  us  their  favor,  will  they  leave  us  without  strength  to  drag 
our  limbs  to  the  grave  ?  Still  more  the  Church  of  God,  which  is  in 
this  world,  and  which  we  know  strives  with  us  by  prayer  and  is 
encouraged  by  our  example, — shall  its  voice  and  its  sympathy  have 
no  weight  with  us  ?  Let  this  then  be  my  theatre  ;  with  the  approba 
tion  which  it  accords  me  I  shall  be  more  than  satisfied,  though  all  the 
world  should  tear  me  in  the  face." — Letter  to  the  Queen  of  Navarre. 

NOTE  26 — Page  57. 

4 '  As  to  the  right  to  inflict  punishment  for  the  errors  of  religious 
opinion,  and  to  chastise  impiety,  that  was  never  a  question  in  the 
mind  of  the  magistrate.  In  condemning  Servetus  and  his  doctrines, 


of  Geneva. 

the  Senate  did  not  think  that  it  was  doing  aught  more  strange  than 
in  declaring  Berthelier  capable  of  receiving  the  Communion." — 
Rilliet. 

NOTE  27 — Page  58. 

The  arms  of  Geneva  then  displayed  the  imperial  eagle  impaled 
with  the  keys,  representing  the  combined  powers  of  the  State  and  the 
Church. 

NOTE  28 — Page  59. 

"  The  opposition  of  the  Council  in  favor  of  Berthelier,"  says 
Rilliet,  "  had  turned  the  head  of  Servetus."  Borne  aloft  amid  the 
general  excitement,  he  mistook  his  chance  prominence  for  a  personal 
following  in  the  city  as  well  as  in  the  Council.  His  tone  became  de 
fiant  and  aggressive.  No  longer  the  meek,  plausible  suppliant  that 
he  was  a  month  ago,  he  heaped  upon  Calvin,  as  upon  a  fallen  foe, 
epithets  more  virulent  than  any  he  had  ever  before  devised,  and 
eagerly  joined  against  him  in  the  appeal  to  the  Bernese  government. 
Indeed,  backed  as  he  supposed  by  the  whole  Libertine  faction,  he 
even  dreamed  of  supplanting  the  Reformer  in  Geneva  ;  denounced 
him  as  an  impostor  who  ought  to  be  hunted  from  the  city,  and  invok 
ing  that  civil  arm  which  he  had  before  deprecated,  he  appeared  be 
fore  the  Council  as  the  accuser  of  his  accuser  ;  demanded  that  Calvin 
be  put  on  trial  as  a  prisoner  with  him,  "  until  the  cause  be  decided 
for  his  death  or  mine,"  by  the  law  of  retaliation  ;  and  concluded  his 
petition  with  a  formal  list  of  "  articles  on  which  M.  Servetus  wishes 
J.  Calvin  to  be  interrogated."  Nor  was  the  poor  deluded  man  alto 
gether  astray  in  some  of  his  conjectures.  It  is  quite  certain  that  had 
the  Council  in  its  present  temper,  as  led  by  the  chief  Syndic,  pro 
ceeded  to  a  decision,  Servetus  would  have  been  released  and  Calvin 
might  have  suffered  death  or  exile  in  his  place.  This  result  was  yet 
to  be  prevented  by  the  very  stratagem  which  had  been  devised  to 
produce  it.  For  the  present,  however,  the  parties  have  come  to  a 
pause,  and  must  await  the  decision  of  the  tribunal  to  which  they 
have  appealed. 

NOTE  29 — Page  60. 

14  Even  the  Senate  had  arrived  at  that  pitch  of  rage  and  madness 
that  were  we  to  declare  it  is  day  at  high  noon  they  would  immediately 
begin  to  doubt  it." — Calvin  to  Bullinger. 


Ube  IReformer 

NOTE  30 — Page  60. 

On  the  2 ist  of  August,  the  Senate  passed  the  following  order  : 
"  Inasmuch  as  the  case  of  the  heresy  of  M.  Servetus  vitally  affects 
the  welfare  of  Christendom,  it  is  resolved  to  proceed  with  his  trial  ; 
and  also  to  write  to  Vienne  to  know  why  he  was  in  prison,  and  how 
he  escaped  ;  and  after  that,  when  all  is  ascertained,  to  write  to  the 
magistrates  of  Berne,  of  Basel,  of  Zurich,  of  Schaffhausen  and  of 
other  churches  of  the  Swiss,  to  acquaint  them  with  the  whole." 

"  Ceasing  to  be  a  local  trial,  the  cause  of  Servetus  was  about  to  be 
come  the  affair  of  the  Swiss  Reformation."— j 


ACT  IV. 

NOTE  i — Page  64. 

The  great  bell  in  the  lofty  tower  of  St.  Peter,  a  gift  of  Bishop 
De  Lornay,  was  called  "  Clemence  "  after  Clement  VII.,  the  anti- 
pope,  and  on  great  occasions  sent  its  deep  tones  far  and  wide  over  the 
city  and  the  neighboring  valleys. 

"  A  music-master  who  was  paid  by  the  State,  gave  three  lessons  a 
week  to  several  choirs  of  children.  When  they  had  learned  the  psalm 
thoroughly,  they  sang  it  during  the  service." — Guizot. 

The  Psalms,  as  translated  by  Clement  Marot  and  edited  by  Calvin 
and  Beza,  became  the  favorite  songs  of  the  Huguenots  throughout 
France,  even  at  the  court  of  Margaret  of  Navarre.  The  historian, 
Douen,  claims  that  the  Reformer,  by  thus  popularizing  sacred  music, 
became  one  of  the  fathers  of  the  opera  or  lyric  drama. 

NOTE  2— Page  68. 

The  state  of  parties  had  somewhat  changed  during  the  past  month. 
There  was  a  reaction  in  public  feeling.  The  prisoner  had  never  had 
any  enthusiastic  support.  The  two  partisan  senators  had  no  further 
use  for  him  and  he  had  lost  the  sympathy  of  the  judges  by  his  fits  of 
rage  and  insolence.  He  continued  to  petition  them  from  his  prison 
for  more  humane  treatment,  which  was  granted  him,  but  without 
further  discussion.  He  must  have  felt  the  doom  which  was  impend 
ing,  and  when  at  last  the  State  Messenger  returned  with  the  adverse 
decision,  the  illusion  which  for  a  time  had  brightened  his  prison  was 
gone.  Weakened  in  body  and  broken  in  spirit,  he  sought  refuge, 

116 


of  <Bene\>a. 

says  Rilliet,  in  the  first  asylum  opened  to  the  undeceived,  namely,  in 
despair,  striking  his  breast,  like  one  demented,  and  with  loud  groans 
that  resounded  through  the  prison  exclaiming  in  Spanish,  "  Mercy  !  " 
"  Mercy  !  "  By  degrees  he  recovered  his  composure,  but  had  lost 
his  passion  and  his  pride. 

NOTE  3 — Page  69. 

Servetus,  among  his  medical  researches,  conjectured,  if  he  did  not 
discover,  the  circulation  of  the  blood,  which  nearly  a  hundred  years 
afterwards  was  verified  and  completed  by  Harvey,  who  probably  had 
no  knowledge  of  the  speculations  of  the  Spanish  physician. 

NOTE  4 — Page  69. 

"  He  was  left  under  the  custody  of  Jehanton  Gerod,  the  sheriff, 
and  Peter  Costel,  of  the  Council  of  Sixty  ;  probably  to  prevent  the 
attempts  which  the  jailer,  Claude  de  Geneve,  who,  we  have  said,  was 
in  the  confidence  of  Perrin,  and  an  enemy  of  the  Calvinists,  might 
have  planned  in  his  favor." — Rilliet. 

NOTE  5 — Page  69. 

After  the  sentence  was  found  to  be  imminent  and  the  judges  in 
exorable,  the  only  hope  of  saving  Servetus  was  by  inducing  him  to 
recant.  The  execution  still  hung  upon  that  condition,  and  it  was  the 
prevailing  theory  of  such  punishments  that  a  true  believer  would  re 
nounce  his  errors  while  under  discipline.  In  the  hope  of  such  a 
result,  by  the  desire  of  Calvin,  Farel  visited  the  prison  early  the  next 
morning.  But  the  prisoner  was  more  argumentative  than  penitent. 
He  insisted  upon  having  Scriptural  proof  of  the  eternal  Sonship  of 
Christ,  whom  he  still  acknowledged  in  some  sense  as  his  Saviour. 
The  passages  cited  did  not  convince  him,  or  shake  his  constancy. 
Farel  persuaded  him  to  request  an  interview  with  Calvin,  and  the 
latter  came,  attended  by  the  Syndics  Corne  and  Bonna,  as  witnesses 
to  the  recantation  which  they  hoped  to  secure.  Sixteen  years  ago, 
when  he  first  met  Servetus  at  Paris,  he  had  endeavored,  at  the  risk 
of  his  own  life,  as  he  said,  "  to  cure  him  of  his  madness,  and  bring 
him  to  such  sentiments  that  all  pious  men  might  take  him  affection 
ately  by  the  hand." 

NOTE  6 — Page  71. 

For  a  description  of  this  whole  scene  see  Rilliet  and  Guizot.  It 
has  been  well  said  that  the  last  hours  of  Servetus  were  the  best  of 

117 


IReformer 


his  life.  Sobered  in  view  of  eternity,  he  lost  his  pride,  conceit,  and 
passion,  and  the  latent  good  in  him  gained  control.  Though  not  a 
saint  or  martyr,  in  the  usual  sense  of  the  terms,  his  acts  and  words 
became  Christian.  "  The  dignity  of  the  philosopher,"  says  Guizot, 
"  triumphed  over  the  weakness  of  the  man,  and  Servetus  died  hero 
ically  and  calmly  at  that  stake,  the  very  thought  of  which  had  at  first 
filled  him  with  terror.  " 

NOTE  7  —  Page  73. 

This  incident  is  fully  described  by  Beza,  Rilliet,  and  Guizot. 
Schaff  characterizes  it  as  a  '  '  sublime  triumph  of  reason  over 
passion." 

NOTE  8  —  Page  66. 

"  A  heretic,"  says  John  Knox,  "  if  he  suffers  the  death  pronounced 
by  a  lawful  magistrate,  is  not  persecuted  for  his  conscience  (as  in  the 
name  of  Servetus  ye  furiously  complain),  but  he  suffereth  punish 
ment  according  to  God's  commandment  pronounced  in  Deuteronomy, 
the  1  3th  chapter." 

The  learned  jurist,  Sir  J.  D.  Michaelis,  in  his  "Commentaries 
on  the  Laws  of  Moses,"  defended  the  civil  punishment  of  false 
teaching  and  blasphemy,  not  merely  as  being  sins  against  God  but 
crimes  against  the  peace  of  society  and  the  rights  of  individuals,  and 
only  deprecated  the  capital  penalty,  on  the  ground  that  it  might  give 
the  offender  too  much  prominence  and  excite  public  sympathy  for 
his  fate. 

NOTE  9  —  Page  73. 

"  The  factions  had  ruined  themselves  by  their  own  hands,  a  dread 
ful  conspiracy  having  been  very  opportunely  discovered,  through  the 
petulant  audacity  of  certain  of  the  conspirators  when  in  a  state  of 
drunkenness.  "  —  Beza. 

NOTE  10  —  Page  74. 

The  Senate  was  not  a  unit,  and  for  some  time  wavered,  as  if  re 
luctant  to  face  the  issue.  The  chief  Syndic  Perrin,  day  after  day 
feigned  illness  and  stayed  away  from  court.  At  length,  the  prisoner 
having  been  duly  informed  and  more  strictly  guarded,  a  final  sitting 
was  ordered  for  the  26th  of  October,  in  joint  session  with  the  Coun 
cil  of  Sixty,  without  whose  concurrence  they  could  not  legally  pass 
sentence.  It  was  a  full  meeting,  and  the  debate  was  high  and 
stormy.  The  Captain-General,  after  some  last  ineffectual  efforts  to 

118 


of  6ene\>a* 

acquit  the  prisoner  or  transfer  his  case  to  the  Great  Council,  left  the 
Senate  chamber  with  his  followers,  defeated  and  disgusted. 

NOTE  ii — Page  76. 

The  correspondence  with  Vienne  was  based  upon  the  common  in 
terest  of  Catholics  and  Protestants  in  a  heresy  which,  it  was  thought, 
destroyed  the  very  foundations  of  Christianity.  It  was  begun  on 
the  part  of  the  Senate  by  sending  a  messenger  of  state  into  Dauphiny 
with  letters  to  the  magnificent  and  noble  lords,  the  judges  of  the 
court  of  Vienne,  requesting  a  copy  of  the  evidence  and  information 
against  Servetus,  to  be  used  in  bringing  him  to  that  just  punishment 
from  which  he  had  escaped.  Nine  days  afterwards,  August  3 1st, 
came  a  reply  to  the  most  noble,  wise,  and  illustrious  lords,  the  Syndics 
and  Senate  of  Geneva,  saying  that  it  would  be  contrary  to  French 
law  to  surrender  the  papers  in  a  trial  against  a  criminal  already  sen 
tenced  and  burned  in  effigy,  and  begging  that  Servetus  be  returned 
to  them  for  punishment,  and  further  charges  against  him  be  thus 
avoided.  The  commandant  of  the  royal  palace  brought  this  letter 
with  a  copy  of  the  sentence,  and  a  jailer  to  take  the  prisoner 
back  with  him  to  Vienne.  Servetus  was  asked  if  he  would 
return  with  the  jailer  or  remain  in  the  hands  of  the  Senate. 
The  wretched  man  could  only  see  the  fagots  already  piled 
for  him  in  Dauphiny,  and  falling  upon  his  knees  he  begged  the 
judges  to  go  on  with  his  trial,  promising  to  submit  to  their  good 
pleasure.  As  Genevese  law  did  not  allow  the  extradition  of  crim 
inals,  they  ordered  a  gracious  response  to  be  written,  that  they  could 
not  give  him  up,  but  would  execute  full  justice  upon  him  ;  and  the 
papal  officer  withdrew,  having  first  obtained  a  certificate  from  Serve 
tus  that  he  had  escaped  from  prison  through  no  favor  or  aid  of  his 
keepers.  The  next  day  came  a  letter,  written  by  M.  de  Maugiron, 
lieutenant  of  the  King  of  France,  informing  the  Senate  that  the 
goods  of  the  prisoner,  amounting  to  four  thousand  crowns,  had  been 
confiscated,  and  requesting  a  statement  of  his  debts  and  credits.  He 
was  protected  by  his  two  patrons  in  refusing  such  a  statement,  and 
the  request  was  politely  declined.  M.  de  Maugiron,  in  closing  his 
letter,  complimented  the  zeal  of  the  Genevese  judges,  and  thanked 
God  that  the  heretic  was  now  in  the  hands  of  those  who  would  not 
let  him  again  escape  punishment.  It  was  thus  that  Romanist  and 
Protestant  authorities  became  strangely  agreed  in  defence  of  their 
common  Christianity,  as  they  understood  it,  and  even  vied  with  each 

119 


IRetormer 


other,  according  to  Rilliet,  for  the  dismal  privilege  of  burning 
Servetus.  The  records  of  the  first  trial  of  Servetus  at  Vienne  and 
the  subsequent  correspondence  with  the  Genevese  magistrates  are 
preserved  in  the  archives  of  the  Papal  Inquisition  at  Vienne. 

NOTE  12  —  Page  77. 

When  the  Reformer  found  that  the  magistrates  were  bent  upon  the 
extreme  penalty,  he  could  only  plead  for  mercy  in  the  execution  of 
the  law.  With  his  colleagues  he  besought  them  either  to  change  the 
sentence  or  effect  it  in  a  milder  form,  perhaps  by  means  of  the  sword. 
"  We  endeavored,"  he  wrote  Farel,  "  to  alter  the  mode  of  his  death, 
but  in  vain.  Why  we  did  not  succeed  I  defer  for  narration  until 
I  see  you."  There  is  no  record  of  that  conversation,  but  it  is  easy 
enough  to  see  why  they  did  not  succeed.  Even  if  the  judges  had 
been  disposed  to  listen  to  Calvin,  they  were  in  no  mood  for  clemency 
towards  the  prisoner.  He  had  long  since  exhausted  their  patience, 
not  only  by  his  personal  traits,  but  as  an  irritating  source  of  the  pub 
lic  troubles.  They  could  see  no  extenuation  of  his  guilt  ;  and  as  he 
was  already  under  sentence  and  burned  in  effigy,  they  chose  to  stay 
within  the  letter  of  the  statute  providing  the  same  penalty  which  he 
had  a  second  time  defied. 

In  a  subsequent  controversy,  when  accused  of  cruelty,  the  Re 
former  called  the  two  most  hostile  judges  to  witness  that  he  had 
interceded  in  behalf  of  Servetus,  and  had  at  no  time  desired  his  death, 
—  See  Opera  ix.,  315.  viii.,  463. 

NOTE  13  —  Page  78. 
The  scene  of  the  sentence  is  rendered  with  historical  accuracy. 

NOTE  14  —  Page  80. 

According  to  Farel,  these  were  the  last  words  of  Servetus,  uttered 
at  the  stake.  They  expressed  his  Christian  faith,  as  distinguished 
from  the  theological  error  for  which  he  had  been  condemned,  which 
was  a  denial  of  the  eternal  Sonship  of  Christ. 


ACT  V. 

NOTE  i— Page  83. 

The  Registers  show  that  a  fine  of  three  sous  was  imposed  for  non- 
attendance  at  sermon,  especially  on  Sunday. 

120 


of  Geneva. 

NOTE  2 — Page  84. 

"  A  peasant  was  imprisoned  because,  on  hearing  an  ass  bray,  he 
said  in  jest  :  "  What  a  fine  psalm  he  chants  ! ' ' 

NOTE  3— Page  84. 

"  It  does  not  appear  that  the  connection  of  Servetus  with  the  heads 
of  the  opposition  had  acquired  for  him  any  great  favor  among  the 
masses  who  were  unacquainted  with  him.  The  party  of  the  Gene- 
vese  people  who  were  hostile  to  Calvin  continued  unconcerned  amid 
the  discussion,  which  was  followed  out  and  concluded  in  a  higher 
region  than  theirs.  It  would  have  excited  their  attention  had  Serve 
tus  attracted  their  sympathies  ;  it  met  with  nothing  but  indifference, 
because  it  was  no  business  of  theirs." — Rilliet. 

NOTE  4 — Page  85. 

Berthelier  recites  the  somewhat  mythical  story  of  the  burning  of 
Servetus  as  given  at  the  time  in  an  anonymous  and  hostile  tract, 
Historia  de  Morte  Served.  It  is  claimed  that  the  green  wood  and 
wreath  of  sulphur  were  not  peculiar  to  this  case,  but  customary  and 
mercifully  designed  to  hasten  death  by  suffocation. 

NOTE  5— Page  86. 

"Shortly  after  the  execution  of  Servetus,  the  Libertines  raised  a 
demonstration  against  Farel.  Philibert  Berthelier  and  his  brother, 
Fran£ois  Daniel,  stirred  up  the  laborers  to  throw  Farel  into  the 
Rhone.  But  his  friends  formed  a  guard  around  him." — Schaff. 

"  A  right-hearted  young  man  among  the  citizens,  after  warning 
Perrin  to  take  care  that  Farel,  who  was  regarded  as  the  common 
father  of  the  citizens,  should  suffer  no  harm,  gave  information  to 
others  who  were  known  to  be  well  affected." — Beza, 

Guizot  tells  us  that  the  friends  of  Calvin  vainly  tried  to  keep  him 
away  from  the  scene  of  tumult.  Without  their  knowledge  he  went 
out  and  walked  alone  to  the  Town-Hall,  where  he  was  received  with 
outcries  and  drawn  swords. — See  Calvin  s  "Letter  to  Viret." 

NOTE  6— Page  87. 

It  was  a  flagrant  act  of  rebellion  to  seize  the  Syndic's  baton,  which 
was  viewed  by  the  populace  as  the  symbol  of  civil  authority.  Perrin 
vociferated,  "  The  staff  is  ours  !  We  hold  it  !  " 

121 


IReformer 


NOTE  7—  Page  88. 

All  the  incidents  brought  together  in  this  scene  actually  happened. 
In  describing  it  the  bitterest  detractor  of  the  Reformer  cannot  help 
paying  a  tribute  to  him  and  to  the  truth  of  history. 

"  Never,"  says  Audin,  "  had  any  session  been  more  tumultuous  ; 
the  parties,  weary  of  speaking,  began  to  appeal  to  arms.  The  peo 
ple  heard  the  appeal.  Calvin  appears,  unattended  ;  he  is  received 
with  cries  of  death.  He  folds  his  arms  and  looks  the  agitators  fix 
edly  in  the  face.  Not  one  of  them  dares  strike  him.  Then  advan 
cing  through  the  midst  of  the  groups,  with  his  breast  uncovered  :  '  If 
you  want  blood,'  says  he,  '  there  are  still  a  few  drops  here.  Strike, 
then  !  '  Not  an  arm  is  raised.  Calvin  then  slowly  ascends  the  stair 
way  to  the  Council  of  the  Two  Hundred.  The  hall  was  on  the  point 
of  being  drenched  with  blood  :  swords  were  flashing.  On  beholding 
the  Reformer  the  weapons  were  lowered,  and  a  few  words  sufficed  to 
calm  the  agitation.  Calvin,  taking  the  arm  of  one  of  the  senators, 
again  descends  the  stairs,  and  cries  out  to  the  people  that  he  wishes 
to  address  them.  He  does  speak,  and  with  such  energy  and  feeling 
that  tears  flow  from  their  eyes.  They  embrace  each  other  and  the 
crowd  retires  in  silence.  The  patriots  had  lost  the  day.  From  that 
moment  it  was  easy  to  foretell  that  victory  would  remain  with  the 
Reformer.  The  Libertines,  who  had  shown  themselves  so  bold  when 
it  was  a  question  of  destroying  some  front  of  a  Catholic  edifice,  or  en 
tering  some  saint's  niche,  Or  throwing  down  an  old  wooden  cross 
weakened  by  age,  trembled  like  women  before  this  man,  who,  in  fact, 
on  this  occasion  exhibited  something  of  the  Homeric  heroism." 

Guizot,  in  reference  to  the  same  incident,  says  :  "  There  is  some 
times  one  happy  moment  in  which  courage  conquers  anger.  .  .  . 
The  reaction  was  as  sudden  as  the  explosion.  Calvin  continued  : 
'  I  know  that  I  am  the  chief  cause  of  your  quarrels,  and  if  blood 
must  be  shed  to  appease  them,  take  my  life,  for  I  call  God  to  witness 
that  I  am  come  to  expose  myself  to  your  swords.  .  .  .  There  is 
nothing  except  religion  which  can  make  you  free  and  secure  your 
liberty  ;  but  in  order  to  obtain  this  you  must  be  united,  and  if  my 
presence  is  an  insuperable  obstacle  to  the  maintenance  of  peace,  I 
will  leave  the  city,  and  will  pray  to  God  that  those  men  who  desire 
to  live  without  Christianity  and  law  may  save  the  republic  and  main 
tain  its  prosperity.'  " 


122 


of  Geneva, 

NOTE  8—  Page  89. 

Besides  his  metrical  versions  of  some  of  the  Psalms,  Calvin  com 
posed  at  least  one  hymn,  full  of  devotional  fervor  and  tenderness, 
"  Salutation  a  Jesus  Christ."  The  verse  in  the  text  is  founded  upon 
the  emblem  of  his  seal,  "  I  offer  my  heart  as  a  burning  sacrifice  to 
God." 

NOTE  9  —  Page  90. 

The  sentences  of  Berthelier  and  Perrin  are  recorded  in  the  pub 
lic  Registers.  See  also  Bayles's  "Philosophical  Dictionary"  article 
Berthelier. 

NOTE  10  —  Page  91. 

"  When  a  child  he  was  seen  joining  the  religious  processions, 
and  carrying  a  sword  with  a  cross-shaped  hilt  by  way  of  a  crucifix." 


Contrary  to  popular  impressions,  the  Reformer  with  all  his  moral 
courage  was  physically  timid  and  retiring  and  not  without  strong 
affections.  After  the  death  of  his  wife  he  wrote  his  most  intimate 
friend,  Viret  :  '  '  You  know  the  tenderness  —  not  to  say  the  weakness  — 
of  my  heart.  I  should  give  way  utterly  if  God  had  not  stretched  out 
His  hand  to  hold  me  up."  The  public  Registers  attest  his  forgiving 
disposition  as  in  the  cases  of  Bolsec,  Gentilis,  and  Castello,  who 
only  returned  his  kindness  with  calumny. 

NOTE  n  —  Page  93. 

Calvin,  who  shared  largely  in  the  humanistic  culture  of  his  time, 
and  was  a  master  of  pure  Latinity,  wrote  a  Latin  ode,  Epinicion  ad 
Christum,  or  Song  of  Victory  to  Christ,  celebrating  the  triumph  of 
the  Reformation  over  its  enemies,  in  classical  diction  and  imagery. 
It  concluded  with  these  lines  : 

"  Magnifico  celebrem  Christi  cantate  triumphum 
Carmine.     lo  Pczan  caetera  turba  canat." 

'  '  Let  His  head  be  crowned  with  the  laurel  of  victory,  let  Him  be 
seated  on  a  chariot  drawn  by  four  coursers  abreast,  that  His  glory 
may  shine  forth  before  all.  .  .  .  And  you,  O  sacred  poets,  cele 
brate  in  magnificent  song  the  triumph  of  Christ,  and  let  the  multi 
tudes  shout  lo  Paan." 

123 


IReformer  ot  <5ene\>a 


NOTE  12  —  Page  93. 

The  Reformer  several  times  lamented  the  "  excessive  vehemence" 
which  had  marked  some  of  his  controversies.  He  alluded  to  it  twice, 
in  his  patriarchial  dying  address  to  the  Syndics  and  Senators,  con 
cluding  with  these  words  : 

'  '  Finally,  I  again  entreat  you  to  pardon  my  infirmities,  which  I 
acknowledge  and  confess  before  God  and  His  angels,  and  also  before 
you,  my  much  respected  Lords." 

Having  thus  spoken,  and  prayed  for  the  safety  of  the  whole  Re 
public,  giving  his  right  hand  to  each,  he  left  them  in  sorrow  and 
tears,  all  feeling  as  if  they  were  taking  a  last  farewell  of  their  com 
mon  parent.  —  Beza's  "  Life  of  Calvin" 

NOTE  13  —  Page  93. 

In  accordance  with  the  maxim  of  his  life,  "  Let  my  name  be  un 
known  or  utterly  buried  —  if  the  truth  prevail,  "he  explicitly  enjoined 
that  no  monument  should  be  put  over  his  grave.  To  this  day  the 
place  of  his  sepulture  is  not  certainly  known. 


124 


TABLE  OF  SCENES. 


PAGE 

ACT  I.— THE  PLOT  OF  THE  LIBERTINES         ...  3 

SCENE     I. — THE  CAPTAIN-GENERAL'S  PALACE     .        .  5 

SCENE   II. — THE  DOORWAY  OF  THE  CATHEDRAL         .  n 

SCENE  III. — THE  SAME  AT  CURFEW     ....  13 

SCENE  IV. — INTERIOR  OF  THE  CONSISTORY  ...  15 

ACT  II.— THE  COUNTERPLOT  OF  THE  REFORMERS     .  23 

SCENE     I. — THE  GARDEN  OF  THE  PALACE  ...  25 

SCENE   II. — THE  SAME  BY  MOONLIGHT        ...  26 

SCENE  III. — ANTEROOM  IN  THE  PALACE       ...  30 

SCENE  IV. — INTERIOR  OF  THE  CONSISTORY  ...  33 

ACT  III.— THE  TRIAL  OF  SERVETUS        ....  39 

SCENE    I. — A  DUNGEON  IN  THE  OLD  BISHOP'S  PALACE  41 

SCENE  II. — A  HALL  OF  JUSTICE  IN  THE  SAME      .        .  45 

ACT  IV.— THE  JUDGMENT  OF  CHRISTENDOM  .  .  61 
SCENE  I. — A  ROOM  IN  THE  CAPTAIN-GENERAL'S 

PALACE 63 

SCENE  II. — A  DUNGEON  IN  THE  OLD  BISHOP'S  PALACE  68 
SCENE  III. — THE  SENATE  CHAMBER  IN  THE  TOWN 

HALL         ......  72 

ACT  V.— THE  TRIUMPH  OF  THE  REFORMATION  .         .  81 

SCENE  I. — THE  PUBLIC  SQUARE  AND  TOWN  HALL  .  83 
SCENE  II. — BEFORE  THE  CATHEDRAL  .  .  .88 

SCENE  III. — THE  INTERIOR  OF  THE  CATHEDRAL  .        .  92 


125 


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